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A 

332 - 

HISTORY 

OF THE 

SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR, 

1779 —1783. 


WITH 

A DESCRIPTION AND ACCOUNT OF THAT GARRISON, 
FROM THE EARLIEST PERIODS. 


BY 

r 

JOHN DRINK WATER, Ti t -VV» ™-rx e_* 

% I 

Captain in the late Seventy-second Regiment, or Royal Manchester Volunteers. 






“ Volatile ferrum 


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Spargitur, arva nova Neptunia caede rubescunt.” 

Vino. 


LONDON: 

JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 


1844. 

















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THE KING 


Sir, 

When I solicited the honour of being permitted to place under Your 
Majesty’s protection the following Work, I was not impressed with the idea, 
that the excellence of the composition, but that the importance of the subject, 
might in some degree entitle it to that distinction. The History of an Event 
which reflects so much lustre on Your Majesty’s Arms, could not, I apprehended, 
however feeble the execution, so properly appear under any other auspices. 

That Your Majesty may never be less faithfully served, nor less success¬ 
ful against the enemies of Your Crown and People, is the sincere and fervent 
wish of 

Your Majesty’s 

Much obliged and most devoted 
Subject and Servant, 

JOHN DRINKWATER. 


13th September, 1785. 


PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 


The following History (as I have presumed to call it) is compiled from 
observations daily noted down upon the spot, for my own satisfaction and 
improvement, assisted by the information and remarks of several respec¬ 
table characters, who also were eye-witnesses of the transactions therein 
recorded. 

Disappointed in my expectations of seeing this subject undertaken by an 
abler pen, nothing less than a conviction that an accurate detail of this extra¬ 
ordinary Siege might be useful, both in a military and historical view, could 
have induced me, at this late period, to publish. 

In the prosecution of this design, one principal difficulty has occurred. 
The work is addressed to two classes of Readers: those whose principal object 
in the perusal of it was entertainment, I apprehended, might find the relation 
too minute and circumstantial; and that, from the insertion of many particulars, 
which those of the Military Profession would greatly blame an author for 
presuming to curtail or omit. 

With the former, it is hoped that the necessary connection of some events 
(which at first may appear trivial) with the great business of the History, will 
be some apology; and I have endeavoured to diversify the narrative, by such 
Anecdotes and Observations as will occasionally relieve or awaken the attention. 
To the latter I shall not attempt any apology. The late Siege of Gibraltar 
afforded many instances of very singular exertions in the Art of Attack and 
Defence, the minutiae of which cannot be without their utility to those Officers 
who make a science of their profession; and they must be sensible, that without 
pointed exactness, this design could not have been accomplished. In short, 
it must be remembered, that the History of this Siege is not that of a Month , or 
of a Year, but that it embraces a period of near Four Years, exhibiting a series 
of operations perhaps unparalleled. 

To Major Vallotton, the Governor’s first aide-de-camp, and Lieutenant 
Holloway, Aide-de-Camp to the Chief Engineer, I have particular pleasure in 
this opportunity of returning thanks for the favour of many kind communica¬ 
tions ; also to other Officers of Rank, whose names I have not their permission 
to insert. I must also acknowledge having derived considerable assistance, 
in the two introductory chapters, from the History of the Herculean Straits. 
Great additions have however been introduced; and I flatter myself upon the 
whole, that those Chapters will not prove an unacceptable part of the Work, 
since they will render it as complete a General History or Gibraltar as 
most readers will require. 



A HISTORY 


OF 

THE SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


CHAPTEK I. 

General History of Gibraltar, since it was first noticed—Fortified under the Saracen Empire_ 

Reduction of the Fortress by Ferdinand of Castile—Retaken by the Moors—Finally 
recovered by the Christians—Taken by the English—Besieged by the Spaniards in 1705 ; 
afterwards in 1727—Succession of Governors to the present time. 


Gibraltar is situated in Andalusia, 
the most southern province of Spain. 
The Rock is seven miles in circum¬ 
ference, forming a promontory three 
miles long; and is joined to the con¬ 
tinent by an isthmus of low sand : the 
southern extremity lies in 36° 2' 30" 
N. lat., and in 5° 15' W. long, from 
the meridian of London. 

Historians, from very early periods, 
have noticed Gibraltar, or Mons Calpe, 
by a well-known mythological fiction, 
denominating it, and Mons Abyla, on 
the opposite coast of Africa, the Pil¬ 
lars of Hercules. It does not, however, 
appear that the hill was ever inhabited 
by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, or 
Romans, who, in the first ages of navi¬ 
gation, visited the bay, and built cities 
in its neighbourhood; or that it ever 
engaged the attention of those intrepid 
and successful barbarians who so vio¬ 
lently subverted the Roman empire, 
and established a new government in 
Spain. The period when it began 
to be remarked for the natural strength 
of its situation, seems well ascertained 
to be in the beginning of the eighth 
century, when the Saracens (then be¬ 
come a powerful nation in the east, and 
along the coast of Africa) invaded 
Spain, and soon after made themselves 
masters of the whole country. 

The Gothic kingdom, which had 
existed in Spain for 300 years, was, 


previous to the invasion of the Sara¬ 
cens, distracted with intestine divi¬ 
sions : the nation in general were 
become effeminate, totally neglecting 
the military discipline of their ances¬ 
tors; and their monarch Roderic, a 
profligate prince, not a little accele¬ 
rated their ruin by ravishing the 
daughter of Count Julian, a nobleman 
of great wealth and influence, and 
governor of Ceuta, in Africa. Count 
Julian, to avenge the dishonour done 
to his family, combined with other 
discontented chiefs, who had long com¬ 
plained, and were ripe for a revolt. 
The tyrant was, however, too powerful 
for whatever opposition they alone 
could raise; the count, therefore, se¬ 
cretly retired with his family into 
Africa, and acquainting Mousa (the 
Saracen governor of the western pro¬ 
vinces) with the divided state of the 
empire, promised, if he would attempt 
to dethrone Roderic, to assist him with 
his own interest, and that of his friends. 

Mousa, cautious and prudent, com¬ 
municated the project to his sovereign 
the Caliph A1 Walid Ebn Abdalmalic, 
who agreed to try the practicability 
of it; and, to inspect more accurately 
the state of affairs, sent over a small 
detachment. 100 horse, and 400 foot, 
were accordingly embarked in the 
year 711, under the command of Tarif 
Ebn Zarca, attended by Count Julian, 

B 






2 


HISTORY OF THE 


[CHAP. I 


and other Gothic noblemen: this small 
force soon passed the Herculean Straits, 
and landed on the coast near the pre¬ 
sent town of Algeziras, where, finding 
no opposition, and the country almost 
defenceless, the Saracen general ra¬ 
vaged the neighbouring towns, and 
returned laden with spoils, to report 
the success of his first expedition. 

Mousa, elated with the flattering 
prospect, the following year assembled 
an army of 12,000 men, and Tarif was 
appointed to the chief command. Hav¬ 
ing supplied himself with provisions 
and stores, Tarif once more embarked 
on the rapid Strait, and landed on the 
isthmus between Mons Calpe and the 
continent. The object of this invasion 
being of a more serious nature than 
that of the former, he determined to 
secure a communication with Africa, 
by establishing a post on the coast; 
and, duly estimating the strong na¬ 
tural situation of Mons Calpe, gave 
orders to erect a castle on the face 
of the hill, which might answer the 
original purpose, and also cover his 
retreat, in case he should be unfortu¬ 
nate in his future operations. The 
superior part of this once magnificent 
pile at present remains; and, from an 
inscription discovered over the prin¬ 
cipal gate, before it was pulled down, 
the period of its being finished is ascer¬ 
tained to be about the year of our 
Lord 725. 

Tarif, leaving a garrison at the foot 
of Mons Calpe (which was now called 
by the Saracens, in compliment to their 
general, Gibel-Tarif, or the moun¬ 
tain of Tarif, and thence Gibraltar), 
marched into the country, and sur¬ 
prised many towns, amongst which 
was Heraclea, or Carteia, situated on 
the coast of the bay, about four miles 
distant from Gibel-Tarif. 

King Roderic, receiving intelligence 
of Tariffs approach, assembled a nu¬ 
merous body of troops to oppose his 
progress. Roth armies met, after se¬ 
veral skirmishes, near Xeres, in Anda¬ 
lusia, and a bloody conflict ensued. 
The victory was for a long time doubt¬ 
ful ; but the Gothic army being raw 
and undisciplined, and part disaffected 
and joining the Saracens, Tarif at 


length prevailed, and by this victory 
was soon in possession of the whole 
kingdom. 

The Goths, or Spaniards as we will 
now call them, were driven by the 
rapid conquests of the invaders into 
the provinces of Asturias, Biscay, 
&c., where, like the ancient Britons, 
they maintained a strenuous and re¬ 
spectable opposition. By degrees they 
reassumed their former discipline and 
valour, while their conquerors declined 
into luxury and effeminacy: they made 
several excursions from the moun¬ 
tains, recovering, after many obstinate 
actions, great part of the northern pro¬ 
vinces. This success encouraged them 
to attempt the total rejection of the 
Arabic yoke. Measures were con¬ 
certed among the chiefs, to act with 
union and with vigour. The infidels 
were attacked and routed in successive 
engagements; and the kingdoms of 
Asturias, Galicia, Leon, Navarre, and 
Castile, erected under different mo- 
narchs. 

Gibraltar, during these transactions, 
increased in importance, though not in 
an equal degree with the neighbouring 
city of Algeziras, which had been built, 
posterior to Gibraltar, on the opposite 
shore of the bay, and was then become 
a fortress of great magnificence and 
strength. This celebrated city seems 
totally to have obscured Gibraltar in 
the histories of those times, since very 
trifling mention is made of the latter 
till the beginning of the fourteenth 
century, when we learn that Ferdinand, 
king of Castile, in the course of his 
conquests, first took it (with a small 
detachment) from the infidels. 

Gibraltar could not at this period be 
very strong, as it fell so easy a prey to 
the Christians, whose army had been, 
and at that time was employed in the 
siege of Algeziras. It does not, how¬ 
ever, appear that Ferdinand was equally 
successful in his operations against that 
city; for we find, in the year 1316, the 
Moors of Grenada applying to the 
emperor of Fez for succour: and, to 
facilitate their reception, Algeziras and 
other cities on the coast were put into 
the hands of the Africans. We may 
therefore conclude that Ferdinand was 




1333.] 


SIEGE OP GIBRALTAR. 


3 


obliged to withdraw from before Alge¬ 
ziras, and that he afterwards directed 
his force against the infidels in a more 
vulnerable part, which induced them to 
apply for the assistance just mentioned. 

Gibraltar continued in the possession 
of the Spaniards till 1333, when Abo¬ 
melique, son of the Emperor of Fez, 
was dispatched with further assistance 
to the Moorish king of Granada, and 
landing at Algeziras, immediately laid 
siege to Gibraltar, whilst the Grana¬ 
dians were making diversions else¬ 
where. Alonzo XL was then on the 
throne of Castile ; and intelligence was 
immediately sent to inform him of the 
descent of the Africans. He was, how¬ 
ever, prevented from marching to the 
relief of Gibraltar by a rebellion in his 
kingdom, and by the approach of Ma¬ 
homet, king of Granada, towards his 
frontiers. Abomelique commenced his 
attack on the castle with great judg¬ 
ment and bravery, and the Spanish 
governor Vasco Perez de Meyra de¬ 
fended it with equal obstinacy; but 
Perez having embezzled the money 
which was advanced to victual the 
garrison, the troops and inhabitants 
suffered great distress; and no prospect 
of relief offering, he was compelled, 
after five months’ siege, to surrender. 

Alonzo having quelled the rebellion, 
and obliged Mahomet to retire, was 
then marching to the assistance of 
Perez, and was advanced within a short 
distance of Gibraltar, when he was in¬ 
formed of the capitulation. He was 
resolved nevertheless to attempt its 
recovery before the Moors could vic¬ 
tual and repair it: he accordingly pro¬ 
ceeded on his route, and encamped 
before the town five days after it had 
surrendered. Alonzo parted his army 
into three divisions; the main body 
occupied the isthmus, the second he 
sent by boats to the red sands, and the 
third climbed up the north of the hill 
above the town. Several serious at¬ 
tacks had been made on the castle, 
when Mahomet, king of Granada, join¬ 
ing Abomelique’s forces, their com¬ 
bined army encamped in the rear of 
the Spaniards, extending across the 
isthmus from the bay to the Mediter¬ 
ranean. This position hemmed in the 


besiegers, debarred them from foraging, 
and cut off their communication with 
the country. Alonzo, though thus cri¬ 
tically situated, still maintained the 
siege; but at length, driven to great 
difficulties for want of provisions, and 
hearing that some of his disaffected 
subjects, taking advantage of his ab¬ 
sence, were again in arms, he hear¬ 
kened to an accommodation, and was 
permitted to retire with his army. 

To be thus disgracefully compelled 
to raise the siege did not agree with 
the ambitious and impatient temper of 
Alonzo: he secretly meditated a new 
attack whenever an opportunity should 
occur; and this intention was not a 
little strengthened by his success in the 
year 1343-4, when Algeziras was taken, 
after a most memorable siege. In 1349 
the tumults and civil wars in Africa 
afforded him the opportunity he waited 
for: great preparations were therefore 
made for this expedition, which was not 
esteemed of inferior consequence to the 
preceding siege of Algeziras, as the 
Moors, since the loss of that city, had 
paid great attention to the completion of 
the works, and to the rendering of the 
place considerably stronger by addi¬ 
tional fortifications; the garrison was 
also numerous and well provided, and 
of their choicest troops. 

Alonzo encamped before Gibraltar in 
the beginning of 1349, and immediately 
laid waste the delightful groves, gar¬ 
dens, and houses of pleasure, which were 
erected in its neighbourhood. The siege 
was commenced with great bravery, 
and though the camp of the Castilians 
was much harassed by the flying squa¬ 
drons of Granadian horse, yet the castle 
in the course of several months was 
almost reduced to a capitulation. At 
this critical period a pestilential dis¬ 
order swept away numbers of the be¬ 
siegers, and among the rest Alonzo, 
who died, much lamented, on the 26tb 
of March, 1350; and the Spaniards 
immediately afterwards raised th 
siege. 

The descendants of Abomelique con¬ 
tinued in quiet possession of Gibraltar 
till 1410, when Jusaf III., king of Gra¬ 
nada, availing himself of the intestine 
divisions which prevailed among the 

B 2 




4 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. 1. 


African Moors, took possession of the 
place. The inhabitants, however, not 
relishing the government of their new 
masters, unanimously revolted the fol¬ 
lowing year against the Granadian al¬ 
caide, drove him with his garrison out 
of the town, and wrote to the emperor 
of Morocco, to be taken again under 
his protection. The emperor dis¬ 
patched his brother Sayd, with 1000 
horse and 2000 foot, to their assistance. 
The king of Granada, being informed 
that Sayd had garrisoned the castle, 
marched with an army, and sending his 
fleet round to the bay, appeared before 
the place in 1411. Sayd advanced to 
meet him, but, being worsted in se¬ 
veral skirmishes, was obliged to retreat 
within the castle, and being closely be¬ 
sieged, and reduced to great distress 
for want of provisions, was at last com¬ 
pelled to submit. 

In 1435, Henry de Guzman, Count 
de Niebla, formed a design of attacking 
Gibraltar by land and sea; but, impru¬ 
dently skirmishing with the garrison, 
from his galleys, before his son John de 
Guzman arrived with the land forces, 
he was defeated, and forced to a preci¬ 
pitate retreat; in which confusion he 
himself lost his life, and many of his 
followers were killed and drowned. 

In 1462, a civil war breaking out in 
Granada, great part of the garrison of 
Gibraltar was withdrawn, to assist one 
of the competitors for the crown: the 
governor of Tarifa had intelligence of 
this by a Moor, who had left the town, 
and embraced the Christian faith. An 
army was accordingly assembled from 
the neighbouring garrisons, and Gi¬ 
braltar was besieged. The inhabitants 
defended it with great resolution; but 
fresh troops joining the besiegers, the 
garrison surrendered to John de Guz¬ 
man, Duke de Medina Sidonia (son of 
the unfortunate Count de Niebla), who, 
hearing that the place was reduced to 
great distress, hastened to the camp, and 
arrived just in time to be present when 
the Moors capitulated. From this pe¬ 
riod it has remained in the hands of the 
Christians, after having been in the 
possession of the Mahometans 748 years. 
The news of this conquest was so ac¬ 
ceptable to Henry IV., of Castile and 


Leon, that he added it to his royal titles, 
and gave it for arms, Gules , a castle, 
proper, with a key pendent to the gate, 
or (alluding to its being the key to the 
Mediterranean) ; which arms have ever 
since been continued. Pedro de Porras 
was appointed governor; but the suc¬ 
ceeding year King Henry made a jour¬ 
ney to Gibraltar, and superseded him, 
giving the command to Don Bertrand 
de la Cueva, Count Lederma, who 
placed the trust in the hands of Ste- 
phano Villacreces: the Duke de Me¬ 
dina Sidonia, however, afterwards re¬ 
covered and enjoyed it, till the reigD 
of Ferdinand and Isabella in 1502, 
when it was annexed to the crown. 

In the year 1540, Piali Hamet, one 
of Barbarossa’s captains, surprised and 
pillaged Gibraltar, making prisoners 
many of the principal inhabitants ; but 
being met on his return by some galleys 
from Sicily, the corsairs were all killed 
or taken, and the prisoners redeemed. 

In 1589, during the reign of Charles 
V., the fortifications of the town were 
modernised and several additions made 
by Daniel Speckel, the emperor’s 
engineer; after which the place was 
thought to be impregnable. From this 
time there appears a chasm in the his¬ 
tory of the garrison till the year 1704, 
when Gibraltar was wrested (most 
probably for ever) from the dominion 
of Spain, by the English, under Ad¬ 
miral Sir George Rooke. This officer 
had been sent into the Mediterranean, 
with a strong fleet, in the spring of 
1704, to assist Charles, archduke of Aus¬ 
tria, in obtaining the crown of Spain; 
but, his instructions being limited, no¬ 
thing of importance was done. Sensi¬ 
ble of the reflections that would fall on 
him, for being inactive with so pow¬ 
erful a fleet, he held a council of war, 
on the 17th of July, 1704, nearTetuan, 
at which several schemes were pro¬ 
posed, particularly a second attack upon 
Cadiz, which however was thought im¬ 
practicable for want of a sufficient body 
of land forces. At length it was re¬ 
solved to make a sudden and vigorous 
attempt on Gibraltar. 

The 21st of the same month, the fleet 
arrived in the bay; and 1800 men, 
English and Dutch, commanded by 





1704.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


b 


the Prince of Hesse d’Armstadt, were 
landed on the isthmus. The prince 
then summoned the garrison; but the 
governor refusing to surrender, pre¬ 
parations were made for the attack. 
By daybreak on the 23rd, the ships 
appointed to cannonade the town, under 
Admirals Byng and Vanderdussen, 
with those that were destined to batter 
the new mole, commanded by Captains 
Hicks and Jumper, were at their seve¬ 
ral stations. The admiral made the 
signal to begin the cannonade, which 
was performed with great vivacity and 
effect, so that the enemy, in five or six 
hours, were driven from their guns, 
especially from the new mole head. 
The admiral, considering that by gain¬ 
ing that fortification the town might 
sooner be reduced, ordered Captain 
Whitaker, with the armed boats, to 
possess himself of it; but Captains 
Hicks and Jumper, who lay next the 
mole, pushed ashore with their pin¬ 
naces, before the rest came up; where¬ 
upon the Spaniards sprung a mine, 
which blew up the fortifications, killed 
2 lieutenants and 40 men, and wounded 
60. The assailants nevertheless kept 
possession of the work, and being joined 
by Captain Whitaker, advanced and 
took a small redoubt,* half-way be¬ 
tween the mole and the town. The 
Marquis de Salines, who was governor, 
being again summoned, thought proper 
to capitulate: hostages were therefore 
exchanged, and the Prince of Hesse, 
on the 24th of July, 1704, took posses¬ 
sion of the gates. 

Notwithstanding the works were 
very strong, mounting 100 pieces of 
ordnance, well appointed with ammu¬ 
nition and stores; yet the garrison, at 
most, consisted of only 150 men, ex¬ 
clusive of the inhabitants. The mar¬ 
quis marched out with all the honours 
of war, and the Spaniards who chose 
to remain were allowed the same pri¬ 
vileges they had enjoyed under King 
Charles II. The loss of the English 
in this attack was, 2 lieutenants, 1 mas¬ 
ter, 57 sailors, killed; 1 captain, 7 
lieutenants, 1 boatswain, 207 sailors, 
wounded. 


The Prince of Hesse remained go¬ 
vernor ; and as many men as could well 
be spared from the fleet were left as a 
garrison. Sir George Rooke after¬ 
wards sailed for Tetuan, to wood and 
water. This being performed, he 
steered up the Mediterranean, and on 
the 13th of August, off Malaga, engaged 
the French fleet, under the command 
of Count de Toulouse. The action was 
long and warm; but many of the Eng¬ 
lish ships, having expended a great 
quantity of ammunition in taking 
Gibraltar, were soon obliged to quit 
the line; which gave the enemy a 
decided superiority. The engagement 
ended in a drawn battle; and Sir 
George returned to Gibraltar, where 
he stayed eight days to refit; and 
then supplying the prince w r ith what 
men and provisions he could spare, 
sailed thence on the 4th of September, 
N.S., on his way home, leaving 18 
men-of-war under the command of Sir 
John Leake, at Lisbon, to be in readi¬ 
ness to succour the garrison, if there 
should be occasion. 

The courts of Madrid and Paris were 
greatly concerned at the loss of so im¬ 
portant a fortress as Gibraltar, and, 
considering its recovery of the last con¬ 
sequence to the cause, the Marquis de 
Villadarias, a grandee of Spain, was 
ordered to besiege, and endeavour to 
retake it. The Prince of Hesse, ap¬ 
prised of their intentions, and being 
further informed that they were to be 
assisted by a naval force from Toulon, 
sent advice to Sir John Leake, request¬ 
ing assistance and supplies. Sir John 
prepared for this duty; but in the mean 
time a fleet of French ships arrived, 
and landed six battalions, which joined 
the Spanish army. After disembark¬ 
ing their reinforcements, the French 
squadron proceeded to the westward, 
leaving only six frigates in the bay. 

On the 11th of October, 1704, the 
Marquis opened his trenches against 
the town; and soon afterwards Sir 
John Leake arrived with 20 sail of 
English and Dutch ships: hearing, 
however, that the enemy were prepar¬ 
ing to attack him with a superior force, 
he thought it most eligible immediately 
to retire and refit, that he might be in 


* The present eiglit-gun battery. 





6 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. I. 


a better condition to supply and assist 
the garrison, in a second expedition, for 
which he had very prudently directed 
preparations to be made at Lisbon in 
his absence. On the 25th he again 
put to sea; and on the 29th unexpect¬ 
edly entering the bay, surprised three 
frigates, a fire-ship, two English prizes, 
a tartan, and a store-ship. He then 
landed the reinforcements, and supplied 
the garrison with six months’ provisions 
and ammunition, at the same time de¬ 
taching on shore a body of 500 sailors 
to assist in repairing the breaches which 
had been made by the enemy’s fire. 
The arrival of the admiral was very 
opportune and critical; for that very 
night the marquis had resolved to at¬ 
tack the place by sea and land at five 
different points; for which purpose he 
had assembled 200 boats from Cadiz, &c. 

Though disappointed in their de¬ 
signs. the Spaniards still entertained 
hopes of taking the fortress; and sup¬ 
posing the troops would be less on their 
guard while the fleet was in the bay, 
they formed the desperate scheme of 
surprising the garrison, though the 
British admiral was before the town. 
The 31st of October, 500 volunteers 
took the sacrament, never to return till 
they had taken Gibraltar. This for¬ 
lorn party was conducted by a goat¬ 
herd to the south side of the rock, near 
the Cave-guard (at that time called the 
Pass of Locust-trees). Fortune, in the 
beginning, so far favoured the enter¬ 
prise, that they mounted the rock, and 
lodged themselves unperceived the first 
night in St. Michael’s cave; the suc¬ 
ceeding night they scaled Charles the 
Fifth’s wall; surprised and put to 
death the guard at the Signal-house 
and at Middle-hill, where afterwards, 
by ropes and ladders, they got up 
several hundreds of the party who had 
been ordered to sustain them; but 
being discovered, a strong detachment 
of grenadiers marched up immediately 
from the town, and attacked them with 
such spirit, that 160 of them were 
killed, or driven over the precipice, and 
a colonel and 30 officers, with the re¬ 
mainder, taken prisoners. These brave, 
but unfortunate adventurers, were to 
have been supported by a body of 


French troops, and some feints were to 
have been made below to engage the 
attention of the garrison; but the com¬ 
manding officers disagreeing, they were 
left to their fortune. 

Sir John Leake was not idle whilst 
he remained in the bay, but was conti¬ 
nually alarming the enemy on their 
coasts. The 2 2nd of November he had 
information, by one of his cruisers, 
that a strong squadron was fitting out 
at Cadiz, which would be soon ready 
for sea; and receiving further intelli¬ 
gence, that a convoy, fitted out from 
Lisbon for the relief of Gibraltar, was 
on its way, he prepared to join it off 
Lagos, in order to protect it past 
Cadiz; but was confined within the 
Straits by a westerly wind. The 
prince, in the mean time, redoubled his 
exertions to prevent the enemy’s de¬ 
signs, who flattered themselves, that on 
the arrival of their fleet from Cadiz, 
Sir John would be obliged to retire, 
and the garrison surrender to their 
united attacks. Their fire was con¬ 
tinued with additional vivacity, many 
cannon in the place were dismounted, 
and the works were materially injured 
in different parts. 

Affairs were in this situation, when 
part of the long-wished-for succours 
arrived on the 7th of December; and 
two days following, the remainder came 
in with near 2000 men, with propor¬ 
tionable ammunition and provisions. 
They sailed from Lisbon under convoy 
of four frigates, and thought them¬ 
selves safe on discovering, off Cape 
Spartel, a fleet of men-of-war, under 
English and Dutch colours: expecting 
to meet Sir John, with the combined 
fleet, at the entrance of the Straits, 
they endeavoured to join them, but for¬ 
tunately were becalmed: they then 
hoisted out their boats to tow the ships, 
when, perceiving the men-of-war ex¬ 
tend themselves in form of a half 
moon, in order to surround them, 
they began to suspect some deception, 
and accordingly made a private signal, 
which totally frustrated the enemy’s 
measures, who were thereby discovered, 
and, striking their false colours, endea¬ 
voured to fall upon the transports; but 
these latter, being lighter vessels, 





1705.] 


SIEGE OJ GIBRALTAR. 


escaped by their oars, and, night dom¬ 
ing on, steered for the bay, withuhe *• 
loss of only two transports. It w%s 
now thought no longer necessary to 
detain the fleet in the bay, or oif th£ 
coast; especially when Monsieur Prfin- 
tis was so near, with a superior force. 
Sir John accordingly arrived at Lisbon 
the latter end of the year. 

The Spanish general being reinforced 
with a considerable body of infantry, 
made an attack, on the 11th of January, 
1705, with 60 grenadiers on the works 
at the extremity of the King’s lines; 
but, two officers and several others 
being killed, the rest retreated. This 
repulse did not, however, discourage 
him; for, early on the succeeding day, 
the attack was renewed by 500 or 600 
grenadiers, French and Walons, sup¬ 
ported by 1000 Spaniards, under Lieu¬ 
tenant-General Tuy. Their disposition 
was to storm a breach which had been 
made in the round towers, at the ex¬ 
tremity of the King’s lines, and another 
in the intrenchment on the hill. The 
retrenchment which covered the latter 
breach, with part of the intrenchment 
joining the precipice of the rock, was 
defended at night by a captain, three 
subalterns, and 90 men; but it was 
customary for the captain to withdraw, 
with two subalterns and 60 men, at 
daybreak. The round tower was de¬ 
fended by 180 men, commanded by a 
lieutenant-colonel. The marquis, by 
deserters from the garrison, had ob¬ 
tained intelligence of the strength of 
these posts, and concerted his attack 
accordingly. The detachment for the 
upper breach mounted the rock at dead 
of night, and concealed themselves in 
the clefts till the captain had with¬ 
drawn. They then advanced to the 
point of the intrenchment, and, throw¬ 
ing grenades on the subaltern and his 
party, obliged them to retreat. At the 
same time 300 men stormed the round 
tower, where Lieutenant-Colonel Barr 
made a vigorous defence, though the 
enemy having passed the breach above, 
annoyed him on the flank with great 
stones and grenades: observing, how¬ 
ever, the Spaniards marching down to 
cat off his retreat from the town, he 
retired, and by getting over the para¬ 


pet of the King’s lines, descended into 
the covered way, where the English 
guards were posted. By this time the 
garrison was alarmed; all the regi¬ 
ments assembled at their proper posts; 
and Captain Fisher endeavoured to 
stop the progress of the enemy with 17 
men, but was repulsed and himself 
taken prisoner. Lieutenant - Colonel 
Moncal, at last, w ith 400 or 500 men, 
charged them with such bravery, that 
they were repulsed, and the tower was 
retaken after it had been in their pos¬ 
session upwards of an hour. Soon after 
this attack, six companies of Dutch 
troops, and 200 English soldiers, were 
received by the garrison, with provi¬ 
sions and stores. 

The Spaniards and French were still 
obstinately bent on the recovery of 
Gibraltar. The Marquis de Villada- 
rias was superseded by the Marshal 
Tesse, a French general; and Monsieur 
Pointis was directed to co-operate with 
the marshal in blocking up the port 
with a powerful fleet. The marshal 
joined the army with four fresh bat¬ 
talions, besides eight companies which 
had been sent before. The ordnance, 
which from constant use had been 
greatly injured, were totally exchanged; 
and the works, as they then stood, were 
put in the best repair. 

The English ministry had been in¬ 
formed of the enemy’s new arrange¬ 
ments ; and, sensible of the importance 
of Gibraltar, ordered a reinforcement, 
under Sir Thomas Dilkes and Sir John 
Hardy, to join Admiral Sir John Leake 
at Lisbon. The junction being effected, 
and his own fleet refitted, Sir John, on 
the 6th of March, sailed with 28 Eng¬ 
lish, 4 Dutch, and 8 Portuguese men- 
of-w r ar, having on board two battalions. 
Happily for the besieged, the incessant 
rains about this period had retarded 
the marshal’s operations, and greatly 
distressed Monsieur Pointis, several of 
whose ships were forced from their 
anchors by a strong westerly wind, and 
driven to the eastward. He, with the 
remainder of his squadron, was quitting 
the bay, when the British admiral en¬ 
tered the Straits, and about half past 
five, on the morning of the 10th, was 
almost abreast of Cabrita Point. Sir 






HISTORY (jj THE 


[chap. I. 


John Leake, discovering five sail mak¬ 


ing out of the bay, and a gun fired at* ■reigned his government, and was sue- 
^ ^ r, Vw r^ol otipI KftO’^r Elliot: dur- 


them from the garrison, concluded that 
the town was safe, and immediately 
gave chace. Three French ships of 
the line were taken, and Admiral Poin- 
tis’s ship and another run ashore and 
burnt. Sir John afterwards looked 
into Malaga, where some of the ships 
that had been driven from the harbour 
had taken shelter; but, hearing the 
report of the guns, they had made the 
best of their way to Toulon. Sir John, 
finding the pursuit of them in vain, 
returned on the 19th to Gibraltar, 
which was now so well supplied, that 
Marshal Tesse withdrew his troops 
from the trenches, and formed a block¬ 
ade; drawing an intrenchment across 
the isthmus, to prevent the garrison 
from ravaging the country. 

In the course of this siege, the enemy 
did not lose fewer than 10,000 men, 
including those who died of sickness, 
&c. The garrison lost about 400. 

The Prince of Hesse remained in the 
place while the batteries were repaired: 
he made also some additions to the for¬ 
tifications, and left the garrison much 
stronger than it was before the siege. 
The prince then joined the Archduke 
Charles at Lisbon, where the combined 
fleets of England and Holland were 
assembled, to support that prince in 
obtaining the crown of Spain. 

As the archduke was resolved to try 
his fortune with the Earl of Peter¬ 
borough, in Valencia and Catalonia, 
the Prince of Hesse was sent back to 
Gibraltar, to prepare part of the garri¬ 
son to embark, and soon after was fol¬ 
lowed by the fleet; upon whose arrival, 
in August, 1705, the archduke was 
received by the garrison as lawful 
sovereign of Spain, and proclaimed by 
the title of Charles III. Having taken 
on board the English guards, and three 
old regiments, leaving only two new 
battalions in the town (as there was no 
danger to be apprehended from the 
enemy), they proceeded, on the 5th of 
August, for Valencia. His Majesty 
then appointed Major-General Ramos, 
who had been present during the siege, 
governor of Gibraltar; and sent with 
him about 400 men for its greater 


General Ramos afterwards 


_[ed by Colonel Roger Elliot; dur¬ 
ing jyhose government Gibraltar was 
Wdb a free port, by a special order 
frdki her Majesty Queen Anne. 

The following was the governor’s 
manifesto on the occasion:— 

“ By the Hon. Roger Elliot, Colonel 
of on» of her Majesty’s regiments of 
foot, and Governor of the city and gar¬ 
rison of Gibraltar. 

“ Wflereas her Majesty of Great Bri¬ 
tain, &c. hath been graciously pleased, by 
her warrant to me, dated 19 th February 
last, to confirm her former declarations 
for the freedom of this port, and to re¬ 
gulate and command me not to permit 
any duty or imposition whatsoever to 
be laid or received for any ship or 
vessel, or for any goods, wares, mer¬ 
chandise, or provisions, imported or 
exported out of this port; but that the 
same be free and open for all ships and 
vessels, goods, wares, merchandise, and 
provisions: these are to make known 
and publish her said Majesty’s royal 
will and pleasure; and all persons con¬ 
cerned are hereby strictly required to 
take notice thereof, not presuming to 
demand or receive any duty or imposi¬ 
tion whatsoever for any ship or vessel, 
or for any goods, wares, merchandise, 
or provisions, as they will answer the 
contrary at their peril. 

“ Given at Gibraltar, April, 1706.” 

Colonel Congreve was commandant 
before 1714. He was succeeded by 
Colonel Cotton. In 1720 Gibraltar 
seems to have been threatened by the 
Spaniards. Ceuta, a Spanish fortress 
in Barbary, had then been besieged 
many years by the Moors; and a for¬ 
midable force, commanded by the Mar¬ 
quis de Leda, was assembled in Gibral¬ 
tar Bay, under pretence of relieving it, 
but with a secret intention of first sur¬ 
prising Gibraltar; for which purpose 
they had procured scaling-ladders, &c. 
&c. This armament was not fitted out 
so secretly but that the British minis¬ 
try had timely notice, and, suspecting 
some finesse, dispatched orders to Co¬ 
lonel Kane, governor of Minorca, im¬ 
mediately to embark a part of his gar- 





1727.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


9 


rison, and repair to Gibraltar, under 
convoy of the fleet in the Mediterra¬ 
nean. On his arrival he found Gibral¬ 
tar in a very critical situation; the 
garrison consisting only of three weak 
battalions, commanded by Major He- 
therington, who, except Major Batte- 
roux, was the only field-officer in the 
place. Many officers were absent, only 
fourteen days’ provisions in the stores, 
and many Spaniards in the town, with 
a fleet before its walls. Such was the 
feeble posture of affairs when he op¬ 
portunely arrived with 500 men, provi¬ 
sions, and ammunition. The British 
commodore acted afterwards in so 
spirited a manner, that the Marquis de 
Leda was obliged to sail for Ceuta, 
though he continued of opinion that 
the garrison might have been taken by 
a general assault. 

This scheme proving abortive, Gib¬ 
raltar remained unmolested till the 
latter end of the year 1726, when the 
Spaniards, who had kept a watchful 
eye on the garrison, assembled an 
army in the neighbourhood of Alge- 
ziras. On the 20th of January follow¬ 
ing, they encamped on the plain below 
St. Roque, and began to erect a battery 
on the beach to protect their camp. 
Admiral Hopson was then at anchor in 
the bay, with a very formidable fleet; 
but, as he had not received any intelli¬ 
gence of hostilities having commenced 
between the courts of Great Britain and 
Madrid, he was with reluctance com¬ 
pelled to overlook the transporting of 
provisions, artillery, and ammunition 
from Algeziras (where they had formed 
their depots) to the camp. Brigadier 
Kane, who had been a second time or¬ 
dered from Minorca to Gibraltar, lay 
also under similar embarrassments with 
the admiral. The operations of the 
enemy, however, tending towards a 
direct attack upon the garrison, he 
thought it prudent to order the Spa¬ 
niards out of the town, and forbid their 
galleys anchoring under his guns. 

It must be understood that Gibraltar 
had undergone considerable alterations 
since the siege of 1705: several works 
had been erected on the heights above 
the lines, which were distinguished by 
the name of Willis’s batteries; the 


Prince’s lines were also extended the 
extremity of the rock; and an inunda¬ 
tion with a causeway was formed out 
of the morass that was in front of the 
grand battery. 

The Count de Las Torres commanded 
the Spanish forces, amounting to near 
20,000 men; and soon after his camp 
was formed, he advanced within reach 
of the garrison. The brigadier there¬ 
upon dispatched a parley, to desire 
“That he would withdraw from the 
range of his guns, otherwise he should 
do his utmost to force him.” The 
count answered, “ That, as the garri¬ 
son could command no more than they 
had power to maintain, he should obey 
his Catholic Majesty’s orders, and en¬ 
croach as far as he was able.” Not¬ 
withstanding this insult, as war had 
not been formally declared, the bri¬ 
gadier waived commencing hostilities, 
till the Spaniards, by their proceedings, 
should oblige him, in defence of his 
command. 

In the beginning of February, Bri¬ 
gadier Clayton, the lieutenant-go¬ 
vernor, arrived with reinforcements, 
on board Sir Charles Wager’s fleet; 
and a council of war was immediately 
summoned, but the result was a deter¬ 
mination not to fire upon the Spaniards. 
The 10 th of February, the enemy 
brought materials for batteries to the 
old windmill, on the neutral ground; 
upon which the lieutenant-governor 
again collected the sense of the admirals 
and field-officers; when in the second 
council it was unanimously agreed that 
the Spanish general had made open war 
in encroaching so far on the liberties of 
the garrison. This being their opi¬ 
nion, Brigadier Clayton sent a parley 
to the count, to know the reason of his 
breaking ground: to which the count 
replied, that “ he was on his master’s 
ground, and was not answerable to any 
other person for his conduct.” As this 
answer directly indicated the hostile 
intentions of the Spaniards, the lieute¬ 
nant-governor, in the evening, with¬ 
drew the out-guard, and the succeeding 
day in the afternoon opened the old 
mole and Willis’s batteries on their 
workmen. They persisted, neverthe¬ 
less, in carrying on the work ; and at 




10 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. I. 


night a large party marched down to 
the Devil’s Tower, where they imme¬ 
diately broke ground, and began a 
communication with their other work. 
This party were greatly annoyed in 
marching to their post, but were soon 
under cover of the rock, where the guns 
could not be depressed to bear upon 
them. 

Numbers of the enemy deserted to 
the garrison, by whom, on the 17th, the 
lieutenant-governor was informed that 
they were constructing a mine, in a 
cave under Willis’s, with an intention, 
if possible, to blow up that battery. 
The engineers on this intelligence re- 
connoitered the cave; which, after 
some difficulty, they discovered, with a 
sentry at the entrance; and a party was 
immediately stationed to annoy the 
communication with musketry. On 
the morning of the 22nd, the count 
opened on the garrison, with seventeen 
pieces of cannon, besides mortars. The 
day following Brigadier Kane left the 
garrison, to detach a reinforcement from 
Minorca. In the mean time Sir Charles 
Wager and Admiral Hopson, with the 
fleet under their command, were con¬ 
stantly distressing the enemy, by inter¬ 
cepting their homeward-bound ships ; 
and the prizes which were brought 
into the bay greatly benefited the be¬ 
sieged. The 3rd of March, the enemy 
opened a new battery of 22 guns on the 
old mole and town; and on the 8th, 
another of 15 guns, bearing also upon 
the old mole, which, it seems, proved a 
troublesome battery to the western flank 
of their approaches. 

The lieutenant-governor continued a 
constant and well-directed fire from all 
the batteries that bore upon their works: 
but the ordnance in general being old 
were bursting daily on the batteries; 
by which accidents the garrison expe¬ 
rienced more casualties than from all 
the fire of the enemy. The 27th, Col. 
Middleton’s regiment arrived, also six 
companies and a half of Col. Hay’s, 
with two engineers, a captain of artil¬ 
lery, and several bombardiers, gunners, 
and matrosses, with 140 recruits for the 
other regiments. 

The admirals, the 2nd of April, 
formed the design of bombarding Alge- 


ziras, whence the enemy were con¬ 
stantly supplied with various articles 
of ammunition; but the ships, after 
getting under way, were becalmed, and 
obliged to come to anchor; after which 
the navy never gave themselves any 
further concern about annoying them 
in that quarter. On the 10th Colonel 
Cosby arrived in the Solebay, with 
500 men, from Minorca; and two days 
following the admirals sailed to the 
westward, leaving Commodore Davies 
behind, with six men-of-war and the 
sloops. Sir Charles did not return 
during the siege. The 16th, the lieu¬ 
tenant-governor ordered two serjeants, 
with ten men each, to advance from 
the spur-guard, under the rock, and 
along the causeway, and alarm the 
enemy in the trenches; giving them 
directions to retire when they found 
their guards sufficiently alarmed, when 
he intended to salute them with grape, 
&c. from Willis’s and the lines. These 
orders were executed, and the enemy 
instantly beat to arms; but the bom¬ 
bardier appointed to give the signal to 
the batteries, firing too soon, the enemy 
saw through the design, and retired 
without any considerable loss. 

Lord Portmore, the governor, ar¬ 
rived on the 21st, with a battalion of 
guards, and another of the line; also 
Colonel Watson, of the artillery, with 
several noblemen as volunteers. The 
26 th the count opened a new battery 
against Willis’s and the extremity of 
Prince’s lines. Their batteries now 
mounted sixty cannon, besides mortars. 
In the beginning of May the garrison 
had intelligence that the enemy de¬ 
signed an assault: precautions were 
accordingly taken, and the guns on 
the lower defences loaded with grape. 
The Spaniards added still to their 
approaches, and raised various com¬ 
munications to and from their advanced 
batteries. Towards the 16th and 20th 
their firing abated, but their engineers 
proceeded in advancing their trenches. 
On the 31st a vessel arrived with 375 
barrels of powder from Lisbon. June 
the 3rd the Solebay came in, with a 
further supply of 980 barrels of pow¬ 
der and 500 thirteen-inch shells, from 
Mahon. The firing continued till the 




1760.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


11 


12th, when about ten at night Colonel 
Fitzgerald, of the Irish brigade, beat 
a parley, and being admitted into the 
garrison, delivered letters to Lord 
Portmore from the Dutch minister at 
the court of Madrid, with a copy of 
the preliminaries of a general peace; 
whereupon a suspension of arms took 
place and all hostilities ceased on both 
sides. 

The garrison lost in the whole about 
300 killed and wounded; and 70 can¬ 
non, with 30 mortars, burst during 
the siege. The enemy’s casualties could 
never be ascertained. In killed, wound¬ 
ed, &c. it was computed they lost near 
3000 men. 

When Lord Portmore and the count 
agreed to a cessation, the Spaniards of 
course were compelled to forsake the 
mine under Willis’s: their parties, 
however, taking possession of it a 
second time, his lordship considered it 
as a breach of the articles of cessation, 
and represented it accordingly. The 
count afterwards withdrew ; the works 
were dismantled and levelled, and the 
troops retreated to their different can¬ 
tonments. 

The Spaniards during this siege 
never made the least attempt to cut off 
the communication by sea; so that the 
garrison was regularly supplied with 
provisions and fascines from Barbary, 
and had a regular correspondence with 
England. 

In 1728 the Parliament of Great 
Britain addressed his Majesty King 
George II., to take effectual care, in 
the treaty then pending, to preserve his 
undoubted right to Gibraltar and the 
island of Minorca. Overtures had been 
made by his Majesty George I. to re¬ 
store the former to Spain, if the parlia¬ 
ment would have consented to such 
restitution; but the minister, finding an 
opposition, declined proceeding in the 
business. In 1730 Lieut.-Gen. Sabine 
was governor of Gibraltar. The Spa¬ 
niards during his government erected 
the forts and lines across the isthmus, 
about a mile from the garrison, which 
effectually prevent any communication 
with the country, and, as we have ex¬ 
perienced, are of considerable advan¬ 
tage in case of a siege. The western 


fort, called St. Philip’s, entirely com¬ 
mands the best anchorage on the side 
of the bay next the garrison. Lieut.- 
Gen. Columbine succeeded General 
Sabine, and he was succeeded by Lieut- 
Gen. Hargrave. 

General Bland was appointed go¬ 
vernor in 1749, at which time a general 
relief of troops took place. The esta¬ 
blishment at that period was four bat¬ 
talions of infantry and a company of 
artillery. Lord George Beauclerk and 
the Hon. General Herbert were seve¬ 
rally commandants in the absence of 
General Bland; and in 1755 Lieut.- 
Gen. Fowkes was deputed governor. 
Lord Tyrawley succeeded him, in 
whose absence the Earl of Panmure 
was commandant. Earl Home was 
afterwards governor, and died there in 
1761. During the government of this 
nobleman, about the year 1760, an in¬ 
cident occurred, which, as it alarmed 
the garrison very much at that time, is 
deserving of notice. Two British re¬ 
giments had been a very considerable 
time on that station, and, from the con¬ 
tinuance of the war, saw little prospect 
of being relieved. Amongst these a 
conspiracy was formed by some dis¬ 
affected persons to surprise, plunder, 
and massacre their officers, and in short 
all whom they judged to be averse to 
their designs. After securing the money 
which was intended for the payment of 
the troops, they meant to purchase for 
themselves a secure retreat, by surren¬ 
dering this so much wished-for fortress 
into the hands of Spain. The numbers 
who joined the conspirators were not 
fewer than 730. An accidental quarrel 
in a wine-house defeated this dange¬ 
rous project, and produced a discovery. 
Reed, a private in the seventh regi¬ 
ment, was executed on the grand parade 
as the ringleader; and ten others were 
condemned. 

After the death of Lord Home, 
Colonel Tovey and Major-General 
Parslow were each commandants, till 
the Hon. Lieut.-Gen. Cornwallis was 
appointed governor. During this ge¬ 
neral’s absence from the garrison. 
Colonel Irwin was commandant ; and 
on General Cornwallis leaving Gibral¬ 
tar a second time, Major-Gen. Boyd, 







12 


HISTORY OF THE [chap. i. 


lieutenant-governor, commanded. In i 
this general’s government the garrison 
was considerably strengthened with 
three new bastions on the sea-line, and 
additional improvements at the south¬ 
ward. 

In 1776 the Right Hon. General 
George Augustus Eliott was appointed 


governor of that important fortress, and 
joined his command in 1777. 

In 1787 General Eliott, who had 
been honoured in 1783 with the Order 
of the Bath for his glorious defence of 
Gibraltar, returned to England, and 
Major-General O’Hara was appointed 
commandant during his absence. 





1789.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


13 


CHAPTER II. 


Description of the Rock, with the Fortifications and Town of Gibraltar—Remains of Moorish 
Architecture—Natural Curiosities—Climate—Vegetation—Fish; and whence supplied with 
Cattle, &e.—Military establishment—Description of the Bay—Algeziras—Some accounts of 
the ancient City of Carteia—St. Roque—Conclusive Remarks. 


As the History which is to be the sub¬ 
ject of the following pages wdll be 
more in detail than the preceding nar¬ 
rative, it may on some accounts be ne¬ 
cessary, and cannot on any, I flatter 
myself, be disagreeable, to present the 
reader with a short description of this 
celebrated rock, and the fortifications 
which have been erected for its de¬ 
fence. 

The promontory, or rock, at the foot 
of which stands the town, is upwards of 
1300 feet in height; projecting into the 
sea several miles from the continent, 
with which it is connected by an isth¬ 
mus of low sand. This appearance 
makes it not improbable that Mons 
Calpe in former ages has been totally 
surrounded by the sea. The north 
front of the peninsula, which presents 
itself to the main land, is of various 
heights. The breadth of the isthmus, 
at the foot of the rock, is about 900 
yards; but it grows considerably wider 
towards the country. Across this isth¬ 
mus (which, with Gibraltar and the 
opposite coast, forms the bay) the Spa¬ 
niards have drawn a fortified line at 
about a mile’s distance from the gar¬ 
rison, extending 1700 yards, and em¬ 
bracing both shores: a fort of masonry 
is erected at each extremity, mounting 
23 or 24 guns each ; these forts are of 
different forms, and are called Fort St. 
Philip and Fort St. Barbara. The 
former of them commands the best and 
the usual anchoring place of our ship¬ 
ping and small craft, and, by forming a 
cross fire with Fort St. Barbara on the 
neutral ground, prevents all communi¬ 
cation between the garrison and the 
country. 


The rock, as I have mentioned be¬ 
fore, is upwards of 1300 feet perpendicu¬ 
lar above the level of the sea; and is se¬ 
parated by a ridge from north to south, 
dividing it into two unequal parts. The 
western front or division is a gradual 
slope, interspersed with precipices ; but 
the opposite side, looking to the Medi¬ 
terranean, and the north front facing 
the Spanish lines, are both naturally 
very steep, and totally inaccessible. It 
is this peculiar circumstance which 
forms the chief strength of Gibraltar. 

The town is built at the foot of the 
north-west face of the hill, and is for¬ 
tified in an irregular manner. The 
communication with it from the isth¬ 
mus is by a long narrow causeway 
(serving as a dam to an inundation), 
which is defended by a curtain, with 
two bastions, mounting 26 pieces of 
cannon, a dry ditch, covered way, and 
glacis well mined. These, with the 
causeway, are warmly flanked by the 
King’s, Queen’s, and Prince’s lines; 
works cut in the rock with immense 
labour, and scarped to be almost inac¬ 
cessible. Above the lines are the bat¬ 
teries at Willis’s, and others at different 
heights, until they crown the summit 
of the rock, where several batteries are 
erected for cannon and mortars. These 
batteries, the lowest of which is up¬ 
wards of 400 feet above the neutral 
ground, mount between 50 and 60 
pieces of heavy ordnance, and entirely 
command the isthmus below. Exclu¬ 
sive of what are here mentioned, addi¬ 
tional works of a singular nature were 
projected in 1782, which, with others in 
the lines, on a similar plan, that are 
(1789) executing under the direction of 





14 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. II. 


Major-General O’Hara, will render Gi¬ 
braltar almost impregnable in that 
quarter. The old mole, to the west of 
the grand battery, forms also a very 
formidable flank, and, with the lines, a 
cross-fire on the causeway and neutral 
ground. This battery has been found 
so great an annoyance to the besiegers, 
that, by way of distinction, it has long 
been known under the appellation of 
the Devil’s Tongue. Indeed, the ord¬ 
nance in the lines, upon the grand bat¬ 
tery, and the old mole, all together, ex¬ 
hibit so formidable an appearance to a 
spectator on the causeway, that the en¬ 
trance into the garrison is called by the 
Spaniards the Mouth of Fire. 

From the grand battery, along the 
sea-line, looking towards the bay, the 
town is defended by the North, Monta- 
ue’s,* Prince of Orange’s, King’s, and 
outh bastions; the line-wall or cur¬ 
tains between which mount many can¬ 
non and mortars. Montague’s, Prince 
of Orange’s, and King’s bastions have 
been erected lately. The latter is a 
very complete piece of fortification, 
commanding the bay from New to Old 
mole heads, and mounting 12 thirty- 
two pounders and four ten-inch howit¬ 
zers in front, 10 guns and howitzers 
on its flanks, and has casemates for 800 
men, with kitchens and ovens for cook¬ 
ing. Montague’s is much smaller, 
mounts only 12 pieces of cannon, but 
has a casemate for 200 men, communi¬ 
cating with the Old mole. In 1782 
the engineers began a cavalier upon 
this bastion for 2 guns; but it was 
not finished till after the grand attack 
in September. Another work of this 
nature was likewise erected in the be¬ 
ginning of the blockade, for 5 guns, on 
the north bastion of the grand battery. 


* These bastions and the connecting cur¬ 
tains were so much injured in the last siege, 
that it was thought necessary to take them 
down, and strengthen this part of the town 
fortifications by an extensive line of new 
works projecting to a considerable distance 
into the sea ; the foundations of which were 
laid in 1788. Many officers, however, doubt 
whether the substantial defences of Gibraltar 
are improved by these alterations. Some ad¬ 
ditions were likewise made in the same place 
to the Grand battery and at Land Port, where 
they were more wanted. 


| The town on the sea-line is not less 
I protected by natural defences than by 
fortifications. A shoal of sharp rocks 
extends along the front far into the 
bay, and prevents ships of large bur¬ 
then from approaching very near the 
walls. 

From the south bastion (which is 
considerably higher than the rest of 
the works, in order to protect the town 
from the eminences on the red sands) 
a curtain extends up the face of the 
hill, and concludes, at an inaccessible 
precipice, the works of the town. In 
this curtain is the South-port gate, 
before which, and the south bastion, is 
a dry ditch, with a covered way and 
glacis. At the east end, on the de¬ 
clivity of the hill, above the gate, is a 
large flat bastion connected with the 
curtain, and mounting 13 guns, bearing 
on the bay, &c. This work is covered 
by a demi-bastion that joins the pre¬ 
cipice. Above the precipice, an old 
Moorish wall is continued to the ridge 
of the rock ; in the front of which a cur¬ 
tain with loop-holes and redans (built 
in the reign of the Emperor Charles V., 
and called after his name) extends to 
the top, effectually cutting off all com¬ 
munication in that quarter. Between 
the Moorish and Charles the Fifth’s 
walls is the signal-house ; whence, on a 
serene and clear day, the guard have an 
unbounded view of the Mediterranean, 
and can just observe a part of the At¬ 
lantic Ocean over the Spanish moun¬ 
tains. Signals formerly were made 
at this post on the appearance of top¬ 
sail vessels from east and west; but 
soon after the commencement of the 
late war we discovered that the Spanish 
cruisers were more frequently informed 
of the approach of our friends by our 
signals than by their own. The sig¬ 
nals were therefore discontinued during 
the siege, but were resumed after the 
general peace of 1783. 

The above account comprehends a 
general description of the fortifications 
of the town, avoiding too minute a de¬ 
tail of each work. I shall therefore 
proceed in describing, in the same 
general manner, the works to the south¬ 
ward. 

From the south bastion a line-wall 





1789.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


15 


is continued along the beach to the 
New mole, where an irregular fort is 
erected, mounting 26 guns. This line- 
wall is divided by a small bastion of 
8 guns; and in its rear is a retired 
work, called the Princess of Wales’s 
lines, in which are several strong bat¬ 
teries for the sea. Near the south 
bastion, though without the town, is a 
wharf called Ragged Staff, where the 
supplies for the garrison are usually 
landed, being convenient from its vi¬ 
cinity to the victualling-office and store¬ 
houses in the town. The communica¬ 
tion to this quay is by spiral wooden 
stairs, and a drawbridge opening into 
the covered way; in front of which is a 
small work of masonry mounting 2 
guns. At the foot of the stairs is the 
basin, where shipping take in water. 
Two tanks are also appropriated to 
this purpose near the eight-gun bas¬ 
tion. 

Within the New mole there is depth 
of water sufficient for a ship of the 
line to lie alongside the wharf and 
heave down. At the mole head is a 
circular battery for heavy metal, joined 
to the New mole fort by a strong wall, 
fraised; having a banquette for mus¬ 
ketry, with two embrasures opening 
towards the bay. This mole, with the 
Old mole at Waterport, were built for 
the accommodation of trading vessels : 
the former, however, is generally oc¬ 
cupied by men-of-war; and the latter, 
not having more than six feet at low 
water, only admits small craft to the 
wharfs: merchantmen of large burthen 
are obliged therefore to anchor about 
half or three quarters of a mile from 
Waterport, in seven or eight fathoms. 
But in time of war this anchorage is 
commanded by the Spanish forts : they 
are consequently, in case of a rupture 
with Spain, under the necessity of re¬ 
moving to the southward of the New 
mole, where the ground is so rocky 
and foul that they are often in immi¬ 
nent danger during the strong south¬ 
erly winds. From the New mole fort 
to the north end of Rosia Bay, the rock 
is difficult of access; nevertheless a 
parapet is continued, and batteries are 
erected, as situations dictate. The 


works at Rosia are strong, and flank 
each other. They are close along 
the beach, which is low, and have a 
retired battery of 8 guns in the rear. 

The rock continues to ascend from 
the south point of Rosia Bay, by Par¬ 
son’s Lodge (behind which, upon an 
eminence, is a new battery en barbet , 
on traversing carriages), to Camp- 
guard, and Buena Vista; so called 
from the beautiful prospect which is 
there presented to a spectator of the 
bay and the neighbouring kingdoms of 
Barbary and Spain. A line-wall is 
raised, notwithstanding the rock being 
inaccessible, with cannon at different 
distances. At Buena Vista there are 
several guns en barbet, which have 
great command; and the hill towards 
Europe is slightly fortified, which 
gives it the appearance, at a distance, 
of an old castle repaired. The rock 
then descends by the Devil’s Bowling- 
green, so named from the irregularity 
of its surface, to Little Bay. At this 
post, which is totally surrounded with 
precipices, there is a barbet batter}’, 
flanking the works to the new mole: 
thence the rock continues naturally 
steep for a considerable distance, when 
the line-wall and batteries recommence, 
and extend in an irregular manner to 
Europa Point, the southern extremity 
of the garrison, though not the southern 
point of Europe. The rock from this 
point is regularly perpendicular to 
Europa advance, where a few batteries, 
and a post at the Cave-guard, terminate 
the works. The fortifications along 
the sea-line at Europa do not, however, 
constitute the principal strength of that 
part of the garrison. The retired and 
inaccessible lines of Windmill-hill have 
great command, and, being situated 
within musket-shot of the sea, are very 
formidable, and of great consequence 
in that quarter. 

The preceding description, it is 
hoped, will be sufficiently explanatory. 
The new bastions on the sea-line were 
planned and executed by, and under the 
direction of the chief engineer, Major- 
General Sir William Green, Bart. 
Lieutenant-General Robert Boyd laid 
the foundation-stone of the King’s bas- 





16' 


HISTORY OF THE 


[_CHAP. II. 


tion, in the absence of General Corn¬ 
wallis, the governor. The garrison 
also underwent considerable alterations 
whilst he commanded: W indmill-hill 
was fortified, and other changes were 
effected at the southward. The im¬ 
provements on the northern front were 
carried on under the direction of Ge¬ 
neral George Augustus Eliott since 
he was appointed to the government. 
The communication, or gallery leading 
to St. George’s Hall, above Farring- 
don’s battery; Queen’s-lines battery, 
and communication ; two works of the 
same nature, which extend under the 


Queen’s battery (Willis’s*), and in the 
rock above Prince of Hesse’s bastion; 
are all so singularly contrived, and 
of so formidable a nature, that all 
direct attacks by land, henceforward, 
may be considered as quixotism and 
insanity. 

Before the interior part of the place 
is described, it will not be improper to 
conclude the description of its outer 
works, by inserting an abstract of the 
guns, howitzers, and mortars mounted 
upon the different batteries. The ori¬ 
ginal, from which this was copied, was 
taken in the beginning of March, 1783. 

Cannon. Mortars. Howitzers. 






Pounders. 




Inch. 



f 


24 





4 




54 

Nature of Ordnance . . 

; 

32 

& 

18 

12 

9 

6 

& 

13 

10 

8 

4* 


l 


26 





3 




4 

Serviceable Ordnance, mounted 

. 

77 

122 

104 

70 

16 

25 

38 

29 

1 

6 

34 

Field Artillery . . . 


0 

0 

0 

4 

0 

6 

8 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Serviceable Ordnance, dismounted 

• 

0 

27 

9 

0 

0 

0 

15 

0 

2 

7 

31 



77 

149 

113 

74 

16 

31 

61 

29 

3 

13 

65 


Inch. 

10 8 5 * 

19 9 0 

0 0 4 

0 0 0 

To 9 T 


Total serviceable in the 

The town of Gibraltar is built on a 
bed of red sand, similar to those emi¬ 
nences without Southport, which ori¬ 
ginally extended from Landport to the 
foot of the ascent to the south barracks. 
The buildings, before the town was 
destroyed in the late siege, were com¬ 
posed of different materials, principally 
of tapia;f though, since the English 
have been in possession of Gibraltar, 
many have been built of the rock- 
stone, plastered, and blue-washed on 
the outside, to break the powerful rays 
of the sun, which otherwise would be 
too glaring, and prejudicial to the eyes. 
The modern houses were in general 
covered with tiles; but the flat terraced 
roofs remained in those erected by the 
Spaniards, and in some, the mirandas 
or towers, whence the inhabitants, 
without removing from home, had a 
beautiful and extensive prospect of the 
bay and neighbouring coasts. 

* The gallery under the Queen's battery 
has been continued by General O’Hara, and 
now communicates with the Prince’s lines: 
it is called the Union Gallery. 

+ A cement consisting of mortar made of 
sand, lime, and small pebbles, which being 
well tempered and wrought together in a frame, 
acquires great strength and solidity. 


garrison. 663 pieces of artillery. 

Of the buildings that are most de¬ 
serving notice, the old Moorish castle 
is the most conspicuous. This antique 
structure is situated on the north-west 
side of the hill, and originally con¬ 
sisted of a triple wall, the outer in¬ 
closure descending to the water’s edge : 
but the lower parts have long since 
been removed, and the grand battery 
and Waterport fortifications erected on 
their ruins; and the first, or upper 
wall, would long ago have shared the 
same fate, had it not been found of 
service in covering the town from the 
isthmus, in case of a siege. The walls 
standing at present form an oblong 
square, ascending tjie hill, at the upper 
angle of which is the principal tower, 
where the governor or alcaide for¬ 
merly resided. The ruins of a Moorish 
mosque, or place of worship, can be 
traced within the walls; as also a 
neat morisque court, and reservoir for 
water: but the latter cannot, without 
great difficulty, be discovered by a 
stranger. A large tower on the south¬ 
east wall has long been converted into 
a magazine for powder; and in dif¬ 
ferent places quarters were fitted up, 
before the late siege, for officers and 
















1789.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


17 


two companies of soldiers. This castle 
was erected, as I have mentioned be¬ 
fore, by the Saracens or Moors, on their 
first invading Spain; and the present 
venerable remains are incontestable 
proofs of its magnificence whilst it 
continued in their possession. 

The other principal buildings are 
the convent, or governor’s quarters; 
the lieutenant-governor’s house, which 
is a modern structure;- the admiralty 
house, formerly a monastery of white 
friars; the soldiers’ barracks, victual¬ 
ling-office, and store-house. Besides 
these, there are the Spanish church, 
the atarasana, or galley-house, and 
some other buildings, formerly of note, 
but now in ruins from the fire of the 
Spaniards during the late siege,* 

At the southward are the South bar¬ 
racks and the Navy hospital. The 
former a stately building, delightfully 
situated, with a parade in front, and 
two pavilions detached; the whole ca¬ 
pable of quartering 1200 men, and 
officers proportionate. The latter a 
capacious pile, well adapted to the pur¬ 
pose for which it was intended: it has 
an area in the centre, with piazzas and 
a gallery above, by which the sick may 
enjoy the sun, or shade, as they think 
proper: there are apartments for 1000 
men, with pavilions at each wing for 
the accommodation and convenience of 
the surgeons and their attendants. This 
hospital was originally erected for the 
navy, in case a British fleet should be 
stationed in the Mediterranean; but, on 
the Spaniards bombarding the town in 
1781, the governor removed into it the 
sick of the garrison. At some distance, 
in the front of the South barracks, are 
two powder magazines, in which the 
supplies from England are usually de¬ 
posited, before they are distributed to 
the other magazines. These last were 
the chief, I might say almost the only 
buildings remaining on the rock after 
the late siege; and their preservation 
was owing to their being kept in con¬ 
stant repair by workmen purposely ap¬ 
pointed for that duty. 

* Since the peace of 1783, the greatest part 
of the town has been rebuilt, and (which is 
much to be regretted) on the old foundations 
and plan. 


Beside the remains of Moorish ar¬ 
chitecture which have already been 
mentioned, the following have been 
esteemed not unworthy of notice. 
Within the town we find the galley- 
house, and part of the Spanish church; 
also the bomb-house, adjoining the 
line-wall: and at the southward, ruins 
of Moorish buildings are discernible on 
Windmill-hill, and at Europa. The 
former are situated on an eminence, 
but no antiquarian can determine to 
what use they were appropriated: some 
are of opinion they were burying-vaults 
for persons of rank; others suppose 
them a prison; whilst, in the garrison, 
the whole is generally known by the 
name of the Inquisition. At Europa, 
opposite the guard-house, may be traced 
the remains of a building erected by 
the Moors, but used by the Spaniards as 
a chapel, and called Nuestra Senora del 
Europa. Along the water’s edge, with¬ 
out the fortification, are also several 
ruins of Moorish walls; and towards 
Europa Advance is a Moorish bath, 
called by the garrison the Nuns’ Well. 
It is sunk 8 feet deep in the rock, 
is 72 feet long, and 42 feet broad, and 
to preserve the water, has an arched 
roof, supported by pillars. To the left 
of this bath is a cave, under Windmill- 
hill, known by the name of Beef-steak 
Cave, which was a common residence 
for many of the inhabitants during the 
late siege. 

The hill abounds in cavities, that 
serve as receptacles for the rain. None, 
however, is so singular and worthy of 
notice as St. Michael’s Cave, on the side 
of the hill, in a line with the South 
barracks, about 1100 feet above the 
level of the sea. At the entrance are 
the remains of a strong wall. The 
mouth is only 5 feet wide; but on 
descending a slope of earth, it widens 
considerably, and, with the assistance 
of torches, the openings of several 
smaller caves are discovered. The 
outer cave is about 200 feet long, and 
90 broad. The top appears to be sup¬ 
ported by pillars of vast magnitude, 
formed by the perpetual droppings of 
petrifying water, the whole bearing 
great resemblance to the inside of a 
gloomy Gothic cathedral. 


c 





18 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap, il 


The several gradations in the pro¬ 
gress of these petrifactions are easily 
discovered. In some may be observed 
small capitals, descending from the roof, 
whilst proportionable bases rise under¬ 
neath : others again are formed of very 
small diameter ; and a third class, im¬ 
mensely large, seem to support the roof 
of this wonderful cavern. Visitors 
are generally conducted to view this 
cave; and numbers, with the assistance 
of ropes and torches, have attempted 
to explore the depth; however, after 
descending about 500 feet, they have 
been obliged to return, by the gross 
vapours which issued from beneath. 
It was in this cave that the Spaniards 
concealed themselves in the siege of 
1727, when a party of them, unper¬ 
ceived, got into the garrison, at the 
Cave-guard, near Europa Advance, but 
afterwards failed in their enterprise. 

There are several other caves on dif¬ 
ferent parts of the hill, in which the water 
possesses the same petrifying qualities. 
One under Middle-hill, called Poco- 
roca, was fitted up, previous to the 
bombardment, for the governor’s re¬ 
ception ; but was afterwards converted 
into a powder magazine, being very 
convenient for the batteries on ihe 
heights. 

Amongst the natural curiosities of 
Gibraltar, the petrified bones, found in 
the cavities of the rocks, have greatly 
attracted the attention of the curious. 
These bones are not found in one par¬ 
ticular part, but have been discovered 
in various places at a considerable dis¬ 
tance from each other. From the rocks 
near Rosia Bay (without the line- 
wall) great quantities of this curious 
petrifaction have been collected, and 
sent home for the inspection of natu¬ 
ralists. Some of the bones are of large 
diameter; and, being broken with the 
rock, the marrow is easily to be dis¬ 
tinguished. Colonel James, in his 
description of Gibraltar, mentions an 
entire human skeleton being discovered 
in the solid rock at the Prince’s lines; 
which the miner blew to pieces: and 
in the beginning of the late blockade, 
a party of miners, forming a cave at 
Upper All’s Well, in the lines, produced 
several bones that were petrified to the 


rock, and appeared to have belonged 
to a large bird: being present at the 
time, I procured several fragments; 
but in the bombardment of 1781 they 
were destroyed with other similar cu¬ 
riosities. 

The hill is remarkable for the number 
of apes about its summit, which are said 
not to be found in any other part of 
Spain. They breed in places inacces¬ 
sible to man, and frequently appear in 
large droves with their young on their 
backs, on the western face of the hill. 
It is imagined they were originally 
brought from Barbary by the Moors, as 
a similar species inhabits Mons Abyla, 
which, on that account, is generally 
called Ape’s-hill. Red-legged par¬ 
tridges are often found in coveys; 
woodcocks and teal are sometimes seen, 
and wild rabbits are caught about 
Europa and Windmill-hill. The gar¬ 
rison orders forbid officers to shoot on 
the western side of the rock; parties, 
however, often go in boats round Eu¬ 
ropa Point to kill wild pigeons, which 
are numerous in the caves. 

Eagles and vultures annually visit 
Gibraltar from Barbary, in their way 
to the interior parts of Spain. The 
former breed in the craggy parts of 
the rock, and, with the hawk, are often 
seen towering round its summit. Mos- 
chetoes are exceedingly troublesome 
towards the close of summer, and 
locusts are sometimes found. The 
scorpion, centipes, and other venomous 
reptiles, abound amongst the rocks and 
old buildings ; and the harmless green 
lizard and snake are frequently caught 
by the soldiers, who, after drawing 
their teeth, treat them with every 
mark of fondness. 

With regard to the climate of Gib¬ 
raltar, the inhabitants breathe a tempe¬ 
rate and wholesome air for most part 
of the year. The summer months of 
June, July, and August are excessively 
warm, with a perpetual serene and 
clear sky: the heat is however allayed, 
in a great measure, by a constant re¬ 
freshing breeze from the sea, which 
usually sets in about ten in the fore¬ 
noon, continuing till almost sunset; 
and, from its invigorating and agree¬ 
able coolness, is emphatically called 





1790.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


19 


the Doctor. The cold in winter is not 
so excessive as in the neighbouring 
parts of the country. Snow falls but 
seldom, and ice is a rarity; yet the 
Granadian mountains in Spain, and the 
lofty mountains in Africa, have snow 
lying on them for several months. 
Heavy rains, high winds, and most 
tremendous thunder, with dreadfully 
vivid lightning, are the attendants on 
December and January. The rain 
then pours down in torrents from the 
hill, and, descending with great rapi¬ 
dity, often chokes up the drains with 
large stones and rubbish, and some¬ 
times does great injury to the works ; 
but these storms are never of long 
duration : the sky soon clears up; the 
heavy clouds disperse; the cheering 
sun appears, and sufficiently compen¬ 
sates for the horrors of the preceding 
night. It is during this season that 
the water that serves the garrison for 
the ensuing summer is collected. The 
aqueduct, which conducts it to the 
fountain in the centre of the town, is 
extremely well executed; and was con¬ 
structed by a Jesuit, when the Spaniards 
were in possession of Gibraltar. It is 
erected beneath the bank of sand, with¬ 
out South port, beginning to the south¬ 
ward of the eight-gun bastion, and, 
collecting the rain-water that filters 
through the sand, conducts it to the 
South port, and thence to the fountain. 
The water, thus strained and purified, 
is remarkably clear and wholesome. 

The appearance of the Rock is barren 
and forbidding, as few trees or shrubs, 
excepting palmettos, are to be seen on 
the face of the hill; yet it is not en¬ 
tirely destitute of vegetation; wild 
herbs, of different kinds, spring up in 
the interstices of the rocks, when the 
periodical rains set in, and afford some 
trifling nourishment to the bullocks, 
sheep, and goats that browse upon the 
hill. The first rains generally fall in 
September or October, and continue at 
intervals to refresh the garrison till 
April or May. When they cease, and 
the powerful rays of the sun have 
withered the little verdure that ap¬ 
peared on the hill, nothing offers to 
the eye but sharp uncouth rocks, and 
dried palmetto bushes. The soil col¬ 


lected in the low ground is, however, 
extremely rich and fertile, producing a 
variety of fruits and vegetables. Colo¬ 
nel James, in his elaborate history of 
the Herculean Straits, enumerates no 
less than 300 different herbs which are 
to be found on various parts of the 
rock. Gibraltar consequently must be 
an excellent field of amusement to a 
botanist. 

The garrison, before the blockade of 
1779, was chiefly supplied with roots 
and garden-stuff from the gardens on 
the neutral ground, which, being on a 
flat, could almost constantly (even in 
summer) be kept in a state of vege¬ 
tation. The proprietors of these gar¬ 
dens were obliged to relinquish them 
in 1779, when the Spaniards erected 
their advanced works: from that period 
General Eliott encouraged cultivation 
within his own limits by every possible 
indulgence. Many plots at the south¬ 
ward were enclosed with walls, the 
ground cleared of stones and rubbish, 
and soil collected from other parts; 
so that with assiduity and perseverance, 
after some time the produce during the 
winter season was so increased as to be 
almost equal to the consumption ; and 
probably, in the space of a few years, 
the garrison may be totally independent, 
in this article, of any assistance from 
the neighbourhood. 

Gibraltar, being nearly surrounded 
by the sea, is exceedingly well sup¬ 
plied with fish: the John-doree, tur¬ 
bot, sole, salmon, hake, rock-cod, mul¬ 
let, and ranger, with great variety of 
less note, are caught along the Spanish 
shore, and in different parts of the bay. 
Mackerel are also taken in vast num¬ 
bers during the season, and shell-fish 
are sometimes brought from the neigh¬ 
bouring parts. The Moors, in time of 
peace, supply the garrison with ox- 
beef, mutton, veal, and poultry, on 
moderate terms; and from Spain they 
procure pork, which is remarkable for 
its sweetness and flavour. Fruits of 
all kinds, such as melons, oranges, 
green figs, grapes, pomegranates, &c., 
are brought in abundance from Bar¬ 
bary and Portugal: and the best .wines 
are drank at very reasonable prices. 

The present military establishment 
c 2 







20 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. ir. 


of Gibraltar (1st of January. 1790) 
consists of six companies of artillery, 
nine regiments of the line, and a com¬ 
pany of artificers, commanded by en¬ 
gineers; composing an army of up¬ 
wards of 4000 men, officers included. 
Before the late bombardment, the 
troops were quartered in the barracks 
at the southward, and in quarters fitted 
up out of the old Spanish buildings in 
town. The officers were distributed 
in the same manner; but in case of re¬ 
inforcements, and that government 
quarters were not sufficient for their 
accommodation, billet-money was al¬ 
lowed in proportion to rank, and the 
officers hired lodgings from the inha¬ 
bitants. 

The regiments, on their arrival in 
the garrison, are entitled to salt pro¬ 
visions from the stores, in the follow¬ 
ing proportion.* One ration for each 
serjeant, corporal, drummer, and pri¬ 
vate, consisting of 7 lbs. of bread, de¬ 
livered twice a week, beef 2 lbs. 8 oz., 
pork 1 lb., butter 10 oz., peas half a 
gallon, and groats 3 pints : every com¬ 
missioned and warrant officer, under a 
captain, receives two rations, a captain 
three, a major and lieutenant-colonel 
four, a colonel six. In times of pro¬ 
found peace, officers generally receive 
a compensation in money for their pro¬ 
visions, or dispose of them to the Jews, 
of whom there are great numbers in 
the garrison, who are always ready to 
purchase, or take them in barter. The 
troops are paid in currency, which, let 
the exchange of the garrison be above 
or below par, never varies to the non¬ 
commissioned and privates. A serjeant 
receives weekly, as full garrison pay, 
one dollar, six reals, equal to ninepence 
sterling, per diem; a corporal, and 
drummer, one dollar, one real, and five 
quartils, in sterling about sixpence 
per diem; and a private, seven reals, 
or fourpence half-penny sterling per 
diem. Officers receive their subsistence 
according to the currency : thirty-six 
pence per dollar is par. During the late 


* The garrison of Gibraltar is now put on 
the sante footing as all other British garrisons 
abroad, in respect to rations of provisions as 
well as rates of pay. 


bombardment, the exchange, for a con¬ 
siderable time, was as high as forty- 
two pence, by which those gentlemen 
who were under the necessity of draw¬ 
ing for their pay, lost sixpence in every 
three shillings; and it seldom was 
lower than forty pence whilst the siege 
continued. The coins current in Gib¬ 
raltar are those used in Spain. All 
accounts are kept in dollars, reals, and 
quartils : the two former, like the pound 
sterling, are imaginary; the latter is 
a copper coin. 

The bay of Gibraltar, formed by 
the headlands of Cabrita and Europa 
points, is commodious, and seems in¬ 
tended by nature to command the 
Straits : there are opportunities, how¬ 
ever, when a fleet may pass unobserved 
by the garrison; for such is the im¬ 
penetrable thickness of the mists, 
which usually prevail during the east¬ 
erly winds, that many ships have baf¬ 
fled the vigilance of the cruisers, and 
gone through unnoticed; the south¬ 
westerly winds, particularly at the 
equinox, are also often attended with 
such thick and rainy weather, that ves¬ 
sels have passed through and got into 
the bay without being seen. 

Since Gibraltar has been in the pos¬ 
session of the English, the Spaniards 
have erected, in different parts of the 
bay, several batteries and forts for the 
protection of their small craft in war, 
and to prevent their coast from being 
annoyed. At Cabrita, which is a bold 
rocky point, are a barbet battery and 
watch-tower, whence, during the block¬ 
ade, signals of flags by day, and lights 
at night, were made to inform the 
Spanish cruisers at Algeziras, &c. of 
the approach of any vessel towards the 
bay. These watch-towers are distri¬ 
buted, at short distances, along the 
coast for a considerable extent, to alarm 
the country, in case of a visit from the 
Algerines, or when any other extraor¬ 
dinary circumstance happens. To the 
northward of Cabrita are two others, 
with a fort at the northernmost tower, 
which is called San Garcia: the point 
on which the latter are erected pro¬ 
jects, with a long reef of dangerous 
shoals and rocks, considerably into the 
bay. The town and island of Algezi- 





SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


21 


1790.] 


ras, with their batteries, then appear 
in view. 

Algeziras lies opposite to Gibraltar, 
about 5^ miles across the bay; and, 
since the late siege, has greatly in¬ 
creased in consequence and wealth. 
The town was built and fortified by 
the Saracens about the year 714, two 
years after their establishment at Gib¬ 
raltar. It is remarkable for being the 
place where those invaders first disem¬ 
barked, when they so rapidly over¬ 
turned the Gothic empire in Spain; 
and, as well as Gibraltar, was erected 
to preserve a communication with 
Africa. Whilst the Moors maintained 
their conquests, it consequently became 
a city of great importance and strength. 
We find, during the successive wars 
which took place between the Moors 
and the Spaniards, Algeziras was fre¬ 
quently besieged by the kings of Cas¬ 
tile ; and, when Gibraltar so easily fell 
into the hands of the Christians in 
1310, this city resisted all their efforts. 
At length, after a most obstinate siege 
in 1344, Algeziras was compelled to 
surrender to the victorious arms of 
Alonzo XI. The siege continued 
twenty months, and most of the potent¬ 
ates in Europe interested themselves in 
the event, by sending succours to the 
Christian besiegers. The English un¬ 
der the Duke of Lancaster, the Earls 
of Derby, Leicester, Salisbury, and 
Lincoln, particularly distinguished 
themselves by their gallantry and 
conduct during this memorable con¬ 
test. It is worthy of remark, that 
cannon are said to have been first made 
use of in this siege, by the Moors 
against the assailants ; and the English, 
profiting by the knowledge gained on 
this occasion, afterwards used them at 
the glorious battle of Cressy. The 
Spaniards continued masters of the 
town till 1369, when the Moors of 
Granada surprised the city ; but being 
unable to retain it, they demolished the 
works, and carried away the inhabit¬ 
ants captive. 

Whilst the Moors kept possession of 
Gibraltar, which was now in its turn 
become a city of importance, the Spa¬ 
niards never attempted to rebuild Alge¬ 
ziras ; and still less did they esteem it 


an object worthy their attention, after 
Gibraltar fell into their hands. The 
town, therefore, remained in ruins and 
desolate, excepting a few fishermen’s 
huts, till the Spaniards, in the begin¬ 
ning of the eighteenth century, thought 
proper, after the final cession of Gib¬ 
raltar to Great Britain, to repeople and 
secure it by a few batteries towards the 
sea, which also might occasionally pro¬ 
tect their cruisers in time of war. 
Since that period, from the constant 
intercourse and trade which subsisted 
between it and Gibraltar before the 
war of 1779, Algeziras is become a 
town of some consequence and wealth ; 
and, as a writer has justly expressed, 
“ like a phcenix, has risen out of its 
own ashes, after being for ages in 
ruins.” 

The New Town is built to the north¬ 
ward of the old city (whose venerable 
ruins still remain), and is defended to 
the southward by a battery of 9 or 
10 guns, erected on an island some dis¬ 
tance from the shore. To the north¬ 
ward of the town is another battery of 
6 guns, and a little farther, on an emi¬ 
nence, one of 22, which was raised by 
Admiral Barcelo, when he was appre¬ 
hensive of an attack from Sir George 
Rodney in 1780. Between the island 
and the town, small craft find tolerable 
shelter; but ships of war, or of large 
burthen, anchor to the northward. 
The lands round the town are much 
cultivated, and, with the shipping, 
form, in the spring, a pleasantly va¬ 
riegated and beautiful prospect to a 
spectator at Gibraltar. A detachment 
or regiment of infantry is constantly 
on duty here, who, with those of the 
Spanish lines and neighbourhood, are 
under the orders of the commandant 
at St. Roque. 

To the northward of Algeziras are 
the rivers Palmones and Guadaranque : 
the former is the broader and deeper 
of the two, and was the principal re¬ 
treat of the Spanish gun and mortar 
boats, when they wanted repairs, after 
bombarding the garrison. Admiral 
Barcelo in this river also prepared 
the fire-ships he sent over in June, 
1780. On the east banks of the Gua¬ 
daranque, near Rocadillo Point, where 









22 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. II* 


there is a small fort or tower, are the 
venerable ruins of the once famous 
city of Carteia. This celebrated place, 
scarcely a stone of which is now left to 
inform posterity where it stood, is re¬ 
ported to have been built by the Phoe¬ 
nicians, in the first ages of navigation, 
when those adventurers visited the ex¬ 
treme parts of the then known world. 
Historians mention it under the names 
of Carteia, Heraclia, and Calpe Carteia. 
When the Carthaginians became a 
powerful nation, and aimed at the sove¬ 
reignty of Spain, Carteia maintained 
its independence for some time, till 
Hannibal, according to Livy, stormed 
the city, and demolished most of its 
works. When Scipio obliged the Car¬ 
thaginians to quit Spain, Carteia was a 
place of little importance; but the 
Romans finding it a convenient station 
for their navy, the city was increased 
with a Roman colony, and once more 
began to rise into splendour and mag¬ 
nificence. After the memorable battle 
of Munda, Cneius Pompey fled to Car¬ 
teia, but, being pursued, was obliged 
to leave it precipitately. As the Roman 
empire declined, so did Carteia; and 
probably, soon after the irruption of the 
Goths and Vandals, it became almost 
desolate and waste. On the invasion 
of Spain by the Saracens, that nation 
undoubtedly dismantled the buildings 
of this famous city for materials to 
erect Gibraltar and Algeziras. The 
remains of a quay are still visible, with 
some few ruins of public buildings, ap¬ 
parently Roman; and the country 
peasants, in tilling the ground, often 
find various antique coins, which curi¬ 
ous antiquarians have not thought un¬ 
worthy of a place in their cabinets. 

Half-way between the Guadaranque 
and the garrison is another fort and 
tower, called Point Mala, or Negro 
Point, to the northward of which is the 
inland village of St. Roque. This is 
a small insignificant town, though de¬ 
lightfully situated, at about five miles 
distance from Gibraltar. It was built 
by the Spaniards, in the beginning of the 
eighteenth century, when the garrison 
of Gibraltar surrendered to Sir George 
Rooke. The Spanish commandant of 
the Lines generally makes it his resi¬ 


dence ; and during the siege under 
the Duke de Crillon, the Count d’Ar¬ 
tois and the Duke de Bourbon had 
apartments in the town. Previous to 
the war of 1779 it was often frequented 
by the officers from Gibraltar; and in 
the spring and summer seasons British 
families resided there for several 
months, some for the benefit of their 
health, others for pleasure. The com¬ 
bined army, during the late siege, en¬ 
camped on the plains below St. Roque, 
and landed all their ordnance and 
military stores a little to the westward 
of Point Mala, near the Orange-grove. 

I cannot help remarking in this place, 
that, among the evils of the late siege, 
the garrison have to regret the inter¬ 
ruption of that friendly intercourse 
which before subsisted between them 
and the neighbourhood, and which is 
now prohibited by the Spanish govern¬ 
ment When the communication was 
free and unlimited (except in point of 
introducing a contraband traffic in 
Spain), the most friendly intimacy sub¬ 
sisted between the British military and 
the Spaniards resident in the adjacent 
villages. Parties were reciprocally vi¬ 
siting each other, and the officers con¬ 
stantly making excursions into the 
country. These excursions, with others 
to the coast of Barbary (which in the 
season superabounds with various spe¬ 
cies of game), were pleasing relaxations 
from the duties of the garrison, and 
rendered Gibraltar as eligible a station 
as any to which a soldier could be or¬ 
dered. 

On the whole, whether we consider 
Gibraltar as commanding the entrance 
of the Mediterranean, and consequently 
as capable of controlling the commerce 
of the Europeans with the Levant; or 
whether we consider it as almost im¬ 
pregnable by nature, and consequently 
as most susceptible of the improvements 
of art, its situation is, perhaps, more 
singular and curious than that of any 
fortress in the world. These circum¬ 
stances, and the degree of consequence 
which it confers on its possessor, in the 
opinion of the Barbary states, have not 
failed to excite the attention and alarm 
the interests of most maritime nations 
in Europe; and, with the multitude at 





1790.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


23 


least, it has always been an object of 
political importance. Politicians, how¬ 
ever, there have been, of no inferior 
rank, who have thought very differently 
of its value and utility. On this deli¬ 
cate subject I will frankly confess my 


inability to decide. I shall, therefore, 
without further apology, leave these 
speculations to men of more leisure and 
experience, and proceed to matters bet¬ 
ter adapted to my capacity and infor¬ 
mation. 





24 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. III. 


CHAPTER III. 


Commencement of the War in 1779 between Great Britain and Spain—State of the Garrison 
of Gibraltar at that period—Ambiguous conduct of the Spaniards—Enemy encamp before 
the Garrison—Form a Blockade—Many Inhabitants leave the Place—Motions of the Enemy 
—Erect additional Batteries in their Lines—Fired upon from the Garrison—Continue their 
Operations—Loss of the Peace and Plenty Privateer—Provisions extremely scarce in the 
Garrison- Spirited behaviour of the Buck Cutter Privateer—Description of the Straits— 
Fidelity of a Moor—Great Distress in the Garrison—Relieved by some fortunate Occurrences 
—Arrival of Sir George Rodney and the British Fleet—Tetuan—Anecdote of Prince Wil¬ 
liam Henry—Ceuta—Departure of the Fleet. 


Although the Spaniards had been 
thrice defeated in their attempts to re¬ 
cover Gibraltar, they continued to view 
that garrison with a jealous eye, deter¬ 
mined, if we may judge from their late 
conduct, to seize the first eligible op¬ 
portunity of wresting it, if possible, 
from the dominion of Great Britain. 

The war of 1762 was too unexpected 
on the part of Spain, and conducted 
with too great success by the British 
minister, to admit of such an enterprise 
as the siege of Gibraltar. The period 
was not, however, far distant when the 
contest between Great Britain and her 
colonies seemed to promise as favour¬ 
able an opportunity as their warmest 
wishes could have anticipated; parti- 
larly when, in addition to the civil war, 
they found hostilities taking place be¬ 
tween Great Britain and France. The 
close of the year 1777, when the news of 
the convention of Saratoga first arrived 
in Europe, was the period which they 
embraced to introduce themselves into 
the dispute. Hostilities had then been 
carried on for near six months between 
Great Britain and France: Spain there¬ 
fore judged the opportunity favourable 
to offer her mediation, proposing such 
an arrangement as she must be assured 
would not be agreeable to the principal 
belligerent powers. Great Britain had 
no sooner refused her acquiescence than 
the court of Madrid espoused the part 
of France; and, on the 16th of June, 
1779, the Spanish ambassador, the Mar¬ 


quis d’Almodovar, presented to the 
court of London his hostile manifesto. 

The principal design of the court of 
Madrid, in entering into this war, was 
evidently the recovery of Gibraltar. 
Before any reply was given by the 
British ministry to their proposals for 
a pacification, overtures had been pri¬ 
vately made to the Emperor of Mo¬ 
rocco to farm the ports of Tetuan, Tan¬ 
gier, and Larache, by which means 
Gibraltar might be cut off from its 
principal supplies. This conduct seemed 
to argue a confidence that her terms in 
the mediation would be refused; and 
the considerable depots of military 
stores which were collected in her arse¬ 
nals undoubtedly pointed out that the 
siege of that garrison was her first and 
immediate object. On the 21st of June, 
1779, the communication between Spain 
and Gibraltar was closed, by an order 
from Madrid. 

Two days previous to this event Ge¬ 
neral Eliott, the governor, accompanied 
by many field-officers of the garrison, 
paid a visit to General Mendoza, the 
commandant of the Spanish lines, to 
congratulate him on his promotion. 
Their reception at St. Roque was far 
from agreeable; and it was remarked 
that the Spanish general appeared em¬ 
barrassed during their stay,which might 
proceed from his knowledge of what 
was to follow. The visit was short, 
and the governor had scarcely returned 
to the garrison when Mr. Logie, his 




1779.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


25 


Majesty’s consul in Barbary, arrived 
from Tangier, in a Swedish frigate, 
with certain intelligence of the intended 
rupture between Great Britain and 
Spain. Mr. Logie’s information pro¬ 
ceeded from a Swedish brig, which on 
her passage to Tangier had fallen in 
with the French fleet, of about 28 sail 
of the line, off Cape Finisterre, when 
the master being ordered on board the 
Admiral, M. d’Orvilliers, he learned 
that they had been cruising for some 
time in that latitude, expecting the junc¬ 
tion of the Spanish fleet from Cadiz. 
From the amicable assurances held out 
by the Spaniards, we could not persuade 
ourselves in the garrison that a rupture 
was so near; but the mail from the gar¬ 
rison being refused on the 21st of June, 


and being acquainted at the same time 
that the intercourse between Gibraltar 
and the neighbourhood was no longer 
to be permitted, we had sufficient con¬ 
firmation of Mr. Logie’s intelligence. 
We afterwards learned that the courier 
who brought from Madrid the order to 
shut up the communication, had been 
detained by accidents on the road; 
otherwise it was not impossible that he 
might have arrived during General 
Eliott’s visit at St. Roque. 

As the fortress of Gibraltar after this 
event became a little world of itself, it 
may not be unacceptable to commence 
the history of the siege with a state of 
the troops in garrison at that period, 
and the commanding officers of the dif¬ 
ferent corps. 


General G. A. Eliott, Governor. 
Lieutenant-General R. Boyd, Lieutenant-Governor. 
Major-General de la Motte, commanding the Hanoverian Brigade. 

Rank & 



Off. 

Staff. 

s. 

D. 

File. 


Artillery . . 

25 

0 

17 

15 

• 428 

Col. Godwin, Command, of Artill, 

12th Regiment . . 

26 

3 

29 

22 

519 

Lieut.-Col. Trigge. 

39th 

25 

4 

29 

22 

506 

Major Kellet. 

56th „ . 

23 

4 

30 

22 

508 

Major Fancourt. 

58th 

25 

3 

29 

22 

526 

Lieut.-Col. Cochrane. 

72nd, or R. M. V. 

29 

4 

47 

22 

944 

Lieut.-Col. Gledstanes. 

1 g j Hardenberg’s 

16 

13 

42 

14 

367 

Lieut.-Col. Hugo. 

g.S< Keden’s 

15 

12 

42 

14 

361 

Lieut.-Col. Dachenhausen. 

® £ ( De la Motte’s 

17 

16 

42 

14 

367 

Lieut.-Col. Sclippergill. 

Engineers, with a Com -} 
pany of Artificers . j 

■ 8 

0 

6 

2 

106 

Colonel Green, Chief Engineer. 

Total . 

209 

59 

313 

169 

4632- 

-making an army of 5382 men. 


On the communication being closed, 
a council of war was immediately sum¬ 
moned, to advise concerning the mea¬ 
sures to be pursued on the occasion. 
Preparations had been privately made 
for the defence of the garrison, when 
intelligence was first received of the 
probability of a war. The objects, 
therefore, at this time to be considered 
were, how to procure constant supplies 
of provisions from Barbary, and in 
what manner the correspondence be¬ 
tween England and Gibraltar was to 
be conducted. Mr. Logie’s presence 
in Barbary was very essential to both 
these points: he consequently returned 
to Tangier on the 22nd, having con¬ 
certed with the governor proper sig¬ 
nals, by which he might communicate 
intelligence across the Straits. Admiral 
Duff’ also, on the 22nd, removed the 
men-of-war under his command from 


their usual anchorage, off Waterport 
(where they were liable to be annoyed 
by the enemy’s forts), to the southward, 
off the New mole. His force at that 
time consisted of the Panther, of 60 
guns, Captain Harvey, on board of 
which was the flag; three frigates, two 
of which were on a cruise ; and a sloop 
of war. 

It is natural to suppose that the gar¬ 
rison were not a little alarmed at this 
unexpected procedure of the Spaniards. 
The northern guards were reinforced, 
and the pickets cautioned to be alert, 
in case of alarm. Landport barriers 
were shut, and an artillery officer or¬ 
dered to Willis’s batteries, to observe 
the movements of the enemy, and pro¬ 
tect the Devil’s-tower guard, which 
was ordered to be very circumspect 
and vigilant. 

Whilst the friendly intercourse sub- 









26 


HISTORY OF THE 


[CHAP. III. 


sisted between the garrison and the 
neighbourhood, several British families 
and officers had permission to reside at 
St. Roque, Los Varios, and other small 
villages a few miles distant; but imme¬ 
diately on the communication being 
closed, General Mendoza sent them 
peremptory orders to remove; and the 
time limited for their departure was so 
short, that some of them were obliged 
to leave most of their effects behind. 
Those officers whose curiosity had led 
them into the interior parts of the 
country were positively refused liberty 
to return to the garrison; they were 
therefore conducted to Cadiz, and had 
passports granted them to leave the 
kingdom by other routes. Col. Ross 
and Capt. Vignoles of the 39th, with 
Capt. Lefanue of the 56th, neverthe¬ 
less contrived to join their corps, by 
assuming disguises, and risking the 
passage in a row-boat from Faro (a 
port in Portugal) to Gibraltar: others 
also attempted, but unfortunately were 
intercepted in their voyage. 

The Childers sloop of war, on the 
24th, brought in two prizes from the 
west, one of which (an American) 
Capt. Peacock captured in the midst of 
the Spanish fleet, then at sea. The 
conduct of the Spaniards on this occa¬ 
sion was extremely ambiguous. Every 
circumstance that fell under our own 
immediate observation convinced us 
that they now intended hostilities 
against Great Britain; and from Mr. 
Logie’s intelligence we had every cause 
to think that this fleet was out to join 
the French admiral. Their permitting 
our cruisers, therefore, to capture a 
friend (as they might then call the 
Americans), under the protection of 
their fleet, we must either consider as 
a finesse, or suppose that they had not 
received orders to act offensively. The 
Childers left two of our frigates watch¬ 
ing the motions of the Spanish fleet. 
It was somewhat singular that a Mr. 
Suase (an American major, who had 
been prisoner in the garrison a little 
time before, along with others of his 
countrymen, but had made his escape), 
and two deserters from Gibraltar, 
should be recognised through their dis¬ 
guises, on board the American prize. 


The major was remanded to his old 
confinement in the Navy Hospital, and 
the latter were punished according to 
their deserts. 

Though the motions of the enemy 
did not indicate any immediate design 
of attacking the garrison, and the clos¬ 
ing of the communication might be 
only in consequence of hostilities hav¬ 
ing commenced between Great Britain 
and Spain, yet our intelligence, and 
their late deceitful conduct, gave us 
great reason to suppose that they in¬ 
tended some attempt on Gibraltar. 
Depots of earth, &c. were therefore 
collected in various places; empty hogs¬ 
heads and casks were bought from the 
inhabitants, for the purpose of filling 
them with earth, to strengthen and re¬ 
pair the fortifications; and other pre¬ 
cautions were taken for the defence of 
the place. On the other hand, the 
enemy employed what troops they had 
then on duty, in the lines and neigh¬ 
bourhood, in drawing down cannon 
from St. Roque, &c. to animate the 
forts (in which few ordnance were 
mounted during the peace), and in ar¬ 
ranging matters to strengthen and sup¬ 
port their posts. 

In the beginning of July, the Enter¬ 
prise frigate, Sir Thomas Rich, Bart., 
returned with a fleet of small craft, 
laden with live-stock and fruit, from 
Tangier; in consequence of which, 
fourteen days’ fresh provisions were is¬ 
sued to the troops. The engineers 
continued preparing materials in their 
departments, towards completing the 
works of the garrison; for which pur¬ 
pose strong parties from the line were 
granted them daily, under the com¬ 
mand of overseers. About 300 Jews 
and Genoese were also employed in 
levelling heaps of sand, near the gar¬ 
dens, on the neutral ground, in order 
that, if the enemy should approach, 
they might not receive any protection 
and cover from our lower batteries. 
The pickets of the garrison were 
ready, on the grand parade, to sup¬ 
port these parties in case they had 
been molested ; but though they 
were at work within half musket- 
shot of the enemy’s advanced guards 
in the Micquelet huts, yet not the 





1779.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


27 


least attempt was made to disturb 
them. 

On the 3rd of July a detachment of 
about 180 men from the British line 
was ordered to join the artillery, to be 
taught the practice of the great guns. 
The artillery in garrison were only 
five companies; a number not ade¬ 
quate to the different duties in case 
of a siege: this reinforcement was 
therefore added, and proved after¬ 
wards of great service in that depart¬ 
ment. Three English sailors came in 
an open boat, on the 4th, from Cadiz, 
and brought intelligence that an em¬ 
bargo was laid on all English vessels 
in that port. In the evening we ob¬ 
served the Spaniards relieve the guards 
in their lines. 

The Spaniards, in time of peace, 
always stationed a regiment of cavalry 
at St. Roque, with another regiment 
or detachment of infantry at Alge- 
ziras; parties from which did duty at 
their lines; and no additional body of 
troops, or ships of war, had yet ap¬ 
peared near the garrison. On the 5th, 
however, in the afternoon, a Spanish 
squadron of two seventy-fours, five 
frigates, and other vessels, to the num¬ 
ber of eleven, hove in sight from the 
west, and lay-to some time off the 
garrison. Whilst they remained in 
this situation, the governor thought it 
prudent to make some new disposition 
of the ordnance at the southward, and 
to caution the regiments in the South 
barracks, the 12th and 72nd, to be alert. 
The captain of Europa guard, who, 
before, usually joined at retreat-beat¬ 
ing, was also ordered to his command. 
In the afternoon three privateer cut¬ 
ters arrived from the westward. A 
schooner, under Portuguese colours, 
stood across from the enemy to recon¬ 
noitre the first that came in, and on 
her return was fired upon from Eu¬ 
ropa batteries, which was the first 
hostile shot from the garrison. The 
enemy’s squadron, in the evening, drove 
to the eastward; and at night the En¬ 
terprise frigate arrived from Tetuan 
with Mr. Logie the consul. In the 
interval of this gentleman’s departure 
from the garrison, a ship of the em¬ 
peror’s had arrived at Gibraltar to be 


repaired; but Admiral Duff being 
backward in granting the stores, the 
governor thought proper to send for 
Mr. Logie to explain to the admiral 
the necessity there was of complying 
with the emperor’s request. To re¬ 
fuse such trifling assistance at that 
important time, he considered might 
be productive of serious consequences 
to the garrison. The Enterprise fri¬ 
gate accordingly sailed to Tetuan to 
bring over the consul. About sunset, 
the evening of the 5th, the frigate 
left Tetuan to return, and was disco¬ 
vered by the enemy’s squadron, part 
of which immediately gave chase. 
Sir Thomas Rich, however, from Ids 
superior knowledge of the tides, 
escaped, though the wind was con¬ 
trary. When he arrived within view 
of the garrison, not making the con¬ 
certed night-signals for fear of being 
discovered by the pursuers, the officer 
at Europa saluted him with several 
shot, but fortunately they did not take 
effect. 

The following day, the 6th of July, 
a packet was received from England, 
by way of Lisbon and Faro, informing 
the governor that hostilities had com¬ 
menced between Great Britain and 
Spain. A proclamation in consequence 
was published in the evening for cap¬ 
turing all Spanish vessels, &c., and 
letters of marque were granted for 
that purpose to the privateers in the 
bay. Early on the morning of the 
8th, a soldier of Reden’/s deserted from 
the Devil’s-tower guard, and some 
time afterwards was followed by a 
serjeant of the 39th, who was one of the 
overseers attending the inhabitants em¬ 
ployed beyond the gardens. In the 
evening General Mendoza, with seve¬ 
ral officers, advanced from the lines 
as far as the Micquelet huts, and, after 
reconnoitring about an hour, returned. 

The Spanish commodore continued 
cruising in our neighbourhood till the 
8th, when he stood under an easy sail 
for the westward. Before they quitted 
the Mediterranean they brought-to 
a Portuguese schooner, bound from 
Tetuan to the garrison, and made very 
earnest inquiries concerning the state 
of our provisions. The 9th, the Ame- 





28 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. III. 


rican prisoners, detained at this time in 
the garrison, were distributed amongst 
the privateers; and the following day, 
in company with the Childers sloop 
of war, they brought in four small 
prizes. 

Admiral Duff having received in¬ 
telligence that a large fleet of small 
vessels was to sail from Malaga with 
wine and provisions for the Spanish 
grand fleet, the Childers was ordered, 
on the 11th, to cruise to the eastward, 
and give information, by signal, when 
they appeared, with the strength of their 
convoy. Whilst she was on the look¬ 
out, her boat gave chase to a settee, 
and was fired at from Fort St. Barbara, 
which was the first hostile shot from 
the enemy. About eleven o’clock the 
signals were made of the expected Spa¬ 
nish convoy being in sight, and soon 
after, of their force. Our admiral, 
however, only cautioned the navy to 
be ready, and went to Windmill-hill 
to reconnoitre them personally. About 
four in the afternoon the convoy, con¬ 
sisting of about 60 sail of different 
burthens, under charge of five xe- 
beques, from 20 to 30 guns each, were 
abreast of Europa Point. The priva¬ 
teers which had accompanied the Chil¬ 
ders in the morning, were then towing 
in a prize taken from the midst of their 
fleet; and they, as well as the Chil¬ 
ders, kept up a smart running fire on 
the Spanish commodore; which was 
seconded at the same time from the 
garrison batteries at Europa Point and 
Europa Advance. The Panther (the 
admiral’s ship, with the flag on board) 
and the Enterprise were still at an¬ 
chor; but at sunset Sir Thomas Rich 
had permission to slip, and the Panther 
soon after got under way. On the 
appearance of the frigate the enemy 
were confused, and instantly steered 
for Ceuta. The Childers and priva¬ 
teers pursued, followed by the frigate, 
and soon after by the Panther. Night 
was now advancing apace, and in a 
short time we lost sight of the ships. 
A few broadsides now and then gave 
us hopes that our friends had come 
up with them; and we could not help 
flattering ourselves, from the inferior 
force of the convoy, that daylight 


I would exhibit the majority of them in 
our possession. In the morning, how¬ 
ever, we discovered the admiral stand¬ 
ing towards the bay with five or six 
small prizes, and not one other of the 
enemy in sight: whence we con¬ 
cluded that they had worked back to 
their own coast, or escaped through 
the Straits in the night whilst our 
ships were off Ceuta. We afterwards 
learned that the squadron which ap¬ 
peared on the 5th was sent to convoy 
this valuable fleet past Gibraltar, lest 
the British admiral should intercept 
them, and prevent their grand fleet 
from receiving these much wanted 
supplies; but the convoy being by 
some unforeseen delays detained, the 
Spanish commodore quitted the station 
on the 8th. 

Two line-of-battle ships were ob¬ 
served cruising behind the rock on the 
13th, and at night they went into Ceuta. 
The 16th the enemy blocked up the 
port with a squadron of men-of-war, 
consisting of two seventy-fours, two 
frigates, five xebeques, and a number 
of galleys, half-galleys, and armed set¬ 
tees : they anchored in the bay, off 
Algeziras, and being judiciously ar¬ 
ranged, and keeping a vigilant look¬ 
out, the garrison became closely block¬ 
aded. This was the first motion of 
the enemy that discovered any direct 
intentions of distressing or attacking 
Gibraltar. At night Waterport guard 
was reinforced with a captain and ten 
privates. Till the 18th of this month 
nothing material occurred, when a 
small convoy of settees, &c. arrived at 
the Orange-grove, laden with military 
stores, which the enemy began soon 
afterwards to disembark. 

Mr. Logie having prevailed on the 
admiral to grant the stores necessary 
for repairing the emperor’s ship, and 
his presence in Barbary being abso¬ 
lutely necessary, as well to procure pro¬ 
visions as to conduct the correspondence 
between Great Britain and the gar¬ 
rison, he returned on the 19th, on 
board a Moorish row-galley, which had 
arrived from the emperor with dis¬ 
patches relative to the ship under re¬ 
pair. The galley was interrupted in 
her return by the enemy’s cruisers, and 




1779.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


29 


detained from seven in the morning 
till five in the afternoon, when she 
was permitted to proceed to Tangier. 
During the embargo Mr. Logie was 
concealed in a small scuttle, down the 
run of the galley, having previously 
made up the governor’s dispatches, and 
concerted signals, in a loaf, which was 
entrusted to a Moor, to be delivered at 
Mr. Logie’s house in Tangier, in case 
he himself should be discovered, with 
an order for the Moor to receive a gra¬ 
tuity if he delivered it safe. 

Early in the morning of the 20th a 
Portuguese boat arrived with fowls and 
charcoal from Tangier. Another, at¬ 
tempting to come in, was taken by a 
half-galley, and carried to Algeziras. 
Sixty pounds of fresh beef were de¬ 
livered the same day to each regiment 
for the use of the officers ; the artillery 
and engineers received in proportion, 
and the navy were included in this dis¬ 
tribution. The following day orders 
were issued for the troops to mount 
guard with their hair unpowdered; a 
circumstance trifling in appearance, but 
which our situation afterwards proved 
to be of great importance, and which 
evinced our governor’s great attention 
and prudent foresight in the manage¬ 
ment of the stores. 

So superior a naval force as the 
enemy now had in our neighbourhood 
alarmed Admiral Duff, who was ap¬ 
prehensive that they would make some 
attempts on the king’s ships. Signals 
•were therefore agreed upon between 
the fleet and the garrison, that in case 
the enemy should make an attack in 
the night, the latter might afford the 
ships every assistance and protection. 
Three lights in a triangle were fixed 
upon by the navy, to distinguish them 
from the enemy. The 22nd the navy 
manned their boats, and captured a 
settee, within a short distance of the 
enemy’s xebeques: she proved of little 
value, but the exploit reflected great 
credit on the party employed. The 
same day arrived a boat with cattle, 
&c. from Tangier. In the course of 
the 22nd several officers, attended by a 
party of men, were observed tracing 
out ground on the plain below St. 
Roque, apparently for a camp; and it 


was remarked that the Micquelets in 
the advanced huts on the neutral ground 
were relieved by regular troops. These 
Micquelets are of the same description 
with our revenue officers, and were 
stationed to prevent the smuggling of 
tobacco from the garrison into Spain. 

A Portuguese boat, with letters, ar¬ 
rived early in the morning of the 24th; 
also a schooner with charcoal and fruit 
from Tangier. Between 200 and 300 
men landed the same day at the Orange- 
grove, with an intention, as we con¬ 
jectured, of taking charge of the stores 
which the enemy were disembarking 
there. The 25th they pitched a tent on 
the plain for the working party em¬ 
ployed in clearing the ground. I 
should have mentioned, that on the 
12th a Hanoverian soldier deserted, 
and this day two of the same brigade 
followed his example. The enemy, on 
the 26th, began to form a camp on the 
plain below St. Roque, about half a 
mile from Point Mala, and three miles 
from the garrison. Fifty tents were 
pitched, and. a detachment of cavalry 
and infantry soon after took possession. 
The same day the Illerim, a Swedish 
frigate, which had been in the bay 
some weeks before, arrived, though 
opposed by the enemy. The Swedish 
captain politely brought-to on their 
firing a gun; but being told he must 
not anchor under the walls of the gar¬ 
rison, he resumed his course, telling 
them he must go to Gibraltar, and they 
should not prevent him. Some shots 
were exchanged, but none took effect. 

The Spanish camp being daily re¬ 
inforced with additional regiments of 
cavalry and infantry, and large parties 
being still employed in landing ord¬ 
nance and military stores at Point 
Mala, the governor thought proper, on 
the 29th, to establish the following 
staff officers, namely, Captains, Val- 
lotton, of the 56th regiment—Patterson, 
of the artillery—Forch, of the 12th 
regiment, and Eveleigh, of the en¬ 
gineers, to be aides-de-camp to himself, 
as commander-in-chief; Captain Wil¬ 
son and Lieutenant Buckeridge, of the 
39th regiment, aides-de-camp to Lieu¬ 
tenant-Gen. Boyd; Lieutenant Wein- 
zey, of the Hanoverian Brigade, aide- 





30 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. hi. 


de-camp to Major-Gen. de la Motte; 
Major Hardy, of the 56th regiment, 
quartermaster-general; Captain Hors- 
burgh, of the 39th regiment, who was 
town-major, adjutant-general; Captain 
Burke, of the 58th regiment, town- 
major ; and Lieutenant S. Wood, of the 
56th regiment, assistant town-major. 
At the same time all the horsfes, except 
those belonging to field and staff-offi¬ 
cers, were ordered to be turned out of 
the garrison, unless the owners, on in¬ 
spection, had 1000 lbs. of feed for each 
horse; and, to enforce the latter order 
by example, the governor directed that 
one of his own horses should be shot. 

In the afternoon of the 30th, one of 
the enemy’s xebeques manned her 
yards, and fired a salute. Immediately 
afterwards we observed she had hoisted 
a flag at the mizen top-mast head, 
instead of a broad pendant; from which 
ceremony we concluded that the naval 
commandant had been promoted, or 
that he was superseded by an admiral. 

In the beginning of August, the 
corps in garrison were ordered to give 
in returns of their best marksmen, and 
also of those men who had ever been 
employed in making fascines. Those 
officers unmarried, or without families, 
who drew double rations for two com¬ 
missions, were ordered at the same 
time to draw rations only for one com¬ 
mission. Two Dutchmen came in on 
the 2nd, unperceived by the enemy’s 
cruisers, laden with rice and dried 
fruits: the rice, and a part of the fruit, 
the governor purchased, for the use of 
the troops. The enemy's camp by this 
time was considerably increased, and 
we numbered 26 cannon behind the 
fort at Point Mala. 

A Venetian arrived on the 5tli, 
though fired at by the enemy. She 
(with the Dutchmen) remained no 
longer than was necessary to take on 
board some of the inhabitants, who, ap¬ 
prehensive that the garrison would be 
besieged, thought it eligible to seek an 
asylum in time. Indeed about this 
time scarcely a boat or vessel left the 
port without being crowded with Jews 
or Genoese, who preferred a residence 
in Barbary, or Portugal, to remaining 
in Gibraltar, where the necessaries of 


life became every day more scarce. 
Early on the 6th came in a Portuguese 
schooner, from Tangier, with 44 bul¬ 
locks, 27 sheep, and a few fowls; and 
two days following, another arrived 
with onions, fruit, and eggs: the latter 
brought letters for the governor, but 
no news from England. From this 
day nothing material occurred till the 
10th, when the enemy’s cruisers cap¬ 
tured a boat belonging to the garrison. 

As affairs began to wear a more se¬ 
rious aspect, a general activity reigned 
throughout the garrison, promoted not 
a little by the example of the governor, 
who was usually present when the 
workmen paraded at dawn of day. The 
engineers were busily employed in put¬ 
ting the works at Willis’s in the best 
repair, and in erecting new batteries on 
the heights of the north front. A con¬ 
siderable extent of ground above the 
town was cleared and levelled, to en¬ 
camp the different regiments, in case 
the enemy should fire upon the town. 
Parties were likewise detached to col¬ 
lect shrubs, &c., from the face of the 
hill, for fascines; and the artillery 
were daily engaged in completing the 
expense magazines with powder, rang¬ 
ing the different ordnance, and pre¬ 
paring everything for immediate use 
in their department. The navy were 
not less diligent. A new battery for 
22 guns was begun in the Navy Yard, 
as a resource in case the enemy’s ope¬ 
rations should make it necessary to lay 
up the ships; and the stores were re¬ 
moved from the New mole to the 
Navy hospital. 

Towards the middle of August, the 
motions of the enemy were no longer 
mysterious; every succeeding day con¬ 
firmed us in the opinion that their 
object was to distress the garrison as 
much as possible. The blockade be¬ 
came more strict and severe, their army 
was in force before the place, and their 
present plan seemed to be to reduce 
Gibraltar by famine. Our stock of 
provisions, they concluded, was small; 
and their squadron under Admiral 
Barcelo, who commanded in the bay, 
could prevent succours being thrown in 
by neutral vessels; whilst their grand 
fleet, united with that of France, would 





1779.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


31 


be superior to any which Great Britain 
could equip, in her then critical situa¬ 
tion. This scheme, every circumstance 
considered, was specious; and, had not 
the garrison fortunately received a sup¬ 
ply of provisions, &c., in April, 1779, 
the troops undoubtedly would have 
been reduced to the greatest distress, 
and the place might probably have 
been in imminent danger, before the 
ministry could dispatch a fleet to its 
relief. The situation of the garrison 
was becoming every day more interest¬ 
ing: only forty head of cattle were 
now in the place; and from the vigi¬ 
lance of the enemy, there was little 
prospect of constant supplies from Bar¬ 
bary : two bullocks were ordered, 
therefore, to be killed daily for the use 
of the sick. The inhabitants had been 
warned in time to provide against the 
calamities which now impended: the 
standing orders of the garrison speci¬ 
fied, that every inhabitant, even in time 
of peace, should have in store six 
months’ provisions; yet by far the 
greater number had neglected this pre¬ 
caution. These unfortunate people, as 
they could not expect to be supplied 
from the garrison stores, were in ge¬ 
neral compelled to seek subsistence by 
quitting the place; some, however, 
were induced to weather out the storm 
by the property they had in the garri¬ 
son, which was probably their all, and 
which they could not remove with 
themselves. Those of this description, 
on application, obtained leave to erect 
wooden huts and sheds at the south¬ 
ward, above the Navy Hospital, whi¬ 
ther they began to remove their valu¬ 
able effects, &c., that they might be se¬ 
cure from the annoyance of the enemy, 
in case the town should be bombarded. 

Fifteen or sixteen covered carts, on 
the 15th, arrived at the enemy’s camp, 
and unloaded timber, planks, &c., at 
their laboratory tents. They continued 
lauding stores on the beach, which em¬ 
ployed a great number of carts to con¬ 
vey them to their depots; and at night 
we generally observed a number of 
lights, and frequently heard a noise like 
that of men employed on some labo¬ 
rious duty: this might proceed from 
dragging cannon, as we observed, on 


the 17th, they had animated all the em¬ 
brasures in Fort St. Philip. 

Early on the 17th, the enemy at¬ 
tempted to cut out a polacre, which was 
anchored off the Old mole; but retired 
on a gun being fired at them from the 
garrison. The small craft, after this 
circumstance, removed to the New 
mole, as the men-of-war had done some 
time before. The 18th, in the morn¬ 
ing, two parties of workmen came from 
the camp, and were employed at Forts 
St. Philip and St. Barbara: covered 
carts continued constantly going from 
Point Mala to the laboratory tents, sup¬ 
posed to be laden with shot. The fol¬ 
lowing morning a Spaniard came in an 
open boat to Waterport, with onions 
and fruit, having a pass for Ceuta: he 
was examined by the quartermaster- 
general, and allowed to sell his cargo 
and purchase tobacco, but was not per¬ 
mitted to land: at night he was ordered 
to return, which he did about eight 
o’clock. He informed us the camp con¬ 
sisted of between 5000 and 6000 men, 
which were to be immediately com¬ 
pleted to 15,000. The 20th, the enemy 
formed a new camp, to the left of the 
stone quarry, under the Queen of Spain’s 
Chair : we imagined it to be intended 
for the Catalonian troops, as they are 
usually encamped separate from the 
rest of the Spanish forces. The same 
day our marksmen were embodied into 
a company of two non-commissioned 
officers and 64 men; and the command 
was given to Lieutenant Burleigh, of 
the 39 th regiment. 

The enemy, on the 21st, had more 
men than usual employed in making 
fascines: they likewise were very busy 
in piling shot, and had a party at work 
in the covered way of Fort St. Philip. 
A number of carts daily brought shot 
(as we imagined) to the lines, particu¬ 
larly to Fort St. Barbara. The 23rd, 
the corps of engineers were formed 
into three divisions, and several officers 
of the line appointed to join them as 
assistant engineers and overseers. The 
same day some experiments were made 
with red-hot shot: this practice was 
continued on the 25th, when some car¬ 
casses were also thrown, and much 
approved. The 27th, we observed a 





32 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. nr. 


fascine-work begun upon the glacis, 
north of Fort St. Philip, which after¬ 
wards proved to be a mortar battery. 
A great number of carts continued to 
be employed in the enemy’s camp, and 
vast quantities of stores were constantly 
landing beyond Point Mala. In the 
course of the 30th, the Childers and 
an armed schooner attempted to cut off 
two half-galleys becalmed in the bay; 
but the enemy’s xebeques, getting under 
way, obliged them to desist. At night 
upwards of 80 covered carts came down 
to the enemy’s lines. 

From the time the enemy first ap¬ 
peared encamped before the garrison, 
troops had been continually joining 
them from all quarters. Their camp 
'consisted of two lines (independent of 
the Catalonians), extending from Point 
Mala, in an oblique direction, into the 
country, towards the Queen of Spain’s 
Chair. The streets were in a direction 
nearly parallel to the bottom of the 
bay. The guards in their lines and 
advanced posts were, as the camp in¬ 
creased, proportionably reinforced; but 
no act of hostility had yet taken place 
in that quarter, though the governor 
continued the garrison-guard at the 
Devil’s-tower. Their forts were re¬ 
paired and put in the best order of de¬ 
fence. Laboratory tents for the artil¬ 
lery were pitched in front of their 
camp, and magazines erected for mili¬ 
tary stores, which were frequently 
brought by fleets of small craft, con¬ 
voyed by men-of-war from Cadiz, Ma¬ 
laga, and other ports in the neighbour¬ 
hood. 

On the 5th of September a soldier 
of Hardenberg’s deserted from a work¬ 
ing party employed in scarping the 
rock, under the lines. He was fired 
upon from Willis’s, but got off. Be¬ 
sides the party engaged in rendering 
the lines inaccessible, our engineers 
were daily strengthening them with 
palisades, &c. Traverses were also 
erected along the covered way, grand 
battery, and line-wall above Water- 
port, where a strong boom of masts 
was laid, from Old mole head to the 
foot of Landport glacis. About this 
time the regiments began to practise 
grenade exercise. The day on which 


the Hanoverian deserted, a Moorish 
galley came over from Algeziras, 
where she had been detained ten 
days. The crew reported that the 
Spanish camp was very sickly. It is 
supposed this vessel came to order 
home the ship which had been some 
time repairing in the New mole, as the 
following day both of them left the 
garrison for Tangier: a xebeque, how¬ 
ever, speaking them off Cabrita Point, 
the Moors were conducted to the Spa¬ 
nish admiral. 

The enemy’s workmen in the lines 
appeared at this time to be about 500. 
They were principally engaged in fill¬ 
ing up with sand the north part of the 
ditch of Fort St. Philip, completing 
the mortar battery before mentioned, 
and raising the crest of the glacis of 
their lines in different places. From 
the noise often heard during the night, 
and the number of lights seen, we 
judged that they worked without in¬ 
termission. Two waggons, drawn each 
by 12 mules or horses, arrived at the 
lines on the 8th, which we conjectured 
brought fixed ammunition. The 11th, 
we observed that they had begun several 
fascine-works on the crest of their lines, 
apparently for mortar batteries; and 
had raised several traverses for the 
protection of their guard-houses. Wag¬ 
gons and carts continued bringing 
fascines and other materials to the lines 
from the camp. The same day, a row¬ 
boat, fitted out by the Jews, brought 
in a Dutch dogger laden with wheat: 
a very valuable supply in our situ¬ 
ation. 

The operations of the enemy now 
began to engage our attention. They 
had been permitted to pass and repass 
unmolested for some time; but the 
governor did not think it prudent to 
allow them to proceed any longer with 
impunity. A council of war was con¬ 
sequently summoned on the 11th, to 
confer on the measures to be pursued. 
The council consisted of the following 
officers:—The governor, the lieutenant- 
governor, Vice-admiral Duff, Major- 
general de la Motte; Colonels Ross, 
Green, and Godwin; with Sir Thomas 
Rich, Bart. In the evening it was re¬ 
ported that their opinion was not to 






1779.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


33 


open on the enemy whilst they conti¬ 
nued within their lines: but this rumour 
was only propagated to deceive the 
garrison ; for on the succeeding morn¬ 
ing, being Sunday the 12th of Septem¬ 
ber, the artillery officers were ordered 
to the batteries on the heights; and the 
Devil’s Tower guard being withdrawn, 
the governor opened on the enemy 
from Green's Lodge (a battery made 
since the blockade commenced), Wil¬ 
lis's and Queen Charlotte’s batteries. 
Their advanced guards in the Micque- 
let huts, and in the stone guard-houses, 
were in a short time compelled to re¬ 
tire, and the workmen assembled in 
the lines obliged to disperse. The co¬ 
vered waggons returned to the camp 
without depositing their ladings; and 
so general a panic seized the enemy at 
this unexpected attack, that their ca¬ 
valry galloped off towards the camp, 
and for some hours scarce a person 
was to be seen within the range of our 
guns. The forts were too distant to be 
materially damaged; and the gover¬ 
nor’s intention being only to disturb 
their workmen, the firing after a few 
hours slackened, and a shot was only 
discharged as the enemy presented 
themselves. A brass gun in the Queen’s 
battery (Willis’s) run with eight 
rounds. 

The mortar batteries that had been 
discovered in the enemy’s lines, some 
few days previous to our firing, had 
caused no small alarm amongst the in¬ 
habitants ; those, therefore,who had huts 
in Hardy Town, at the southward, im¬ 
mediately removed their most valuable 
effects, fully convinced that the Spa¬ 
niards at night would return the fire. 

That the duty of the batteries might 
he performed with spirit, in case the 
enemy persisted in carrying on their 
works, a captain, 3 subalterns, and 
52 men of the artillery, were ordered 
to take in charge Green’s Lodge, 
Willis’s, and other batteries on the 
heights. The firing was continued the 
subsequent days, as circumstances di¬ 
rected. The 16th, our artillery made 
three attempts to reach the enemy’s 
laboratory tents, or artillery park (as 
henceforward they will be called), from 
a sea-mortar at Willis’s. The first and 


second shell burst immediately on 
leaving the mortar ; the third went its 
range, but fell a little short of the 
fascine park. The artillery at this pe¬ 
riod used the old shells, the fuses of 
which were in general faulty; and 
this was the cause that the experiment 
did not answer on the first and second 
trials. We observed, the same day, 
that the Spaniards had pitched some 
additional tents a little beyond Point 
Mala : they also began to erect a pier, 
or wharf, for the convenience of land¬ 
ing their stores and supplies. 

Whilst the governor kept a watchful 
eye on the enemy’s operations, mo¬ 
lesting their workmen as much as 
possible from Willis’s, proper precau¬ 
tions were taken in the town to ren¬ 
der a bombardment less distressing, 
in case they retaliated, which, indeed, 
their preparations gave us reason 
to think would not be long deferred. 
The pavement of the streets, in the 
north part of the town, was ploughed 
up; the towers of the most conspicu¬ 
ous buildings were taken down, and 
traverses raised in different places, to 
render the communications more se¬ 
cure. The enemy appeared to bear 
our fire very patiently in their lines : 
their parties continued working on the 
mortar batteries; the stone sentry- 
boxes were pulled down, and the 
guard-houses unroofed; a boyau, or 
covered way, was likewise begun, to 
make a safe communication from the 
lines to their camp. 

Our firing was still continued; but 
their parties were at too considerable a 
distance (being near a mile) to be mate¬ 
rially annoyed by our shot; and the 
works being surrounded with sand, the 
large shells sunk so deep that the 
splinters seldom rose to the surface. 
An experiment was therefore recom¬ 
mended by Captain (now Major) Mer- 
cier, of the 39th regiment, namely, to 
fire out of guns 5^-inch shells, with short 
fuses; which were tried on the 25th, and 
found to answer extremely well. These 
small shells, according to Captain 
Mercier’s method, were thrown with 
such precision, and the fuses cut by 
calculation with such exactness, that; 
the shell often burst over their heads, 




34 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap, hi. 


and wounded them before they could 
get under cover. This mode * of an¬ 
noyance was eligible on several other 
accounts: less powder was used, and 
the enemy were more seriously mo¬ 
lested; the former was an advantage 
of no small consequence, since it en¬ 
abled the governor to reserve, at this 
period, what might be probably ex¬ 
pended to the greater benefit of the 
service on a future occasion. It will 
also account for the extraordinary 
number of shells which were dis¬ 
charged from the garrison. 

In the afternoon of the 26th a sol¬ 
dier of the 72nd regiment deserted 
from a working party out at Landport. 
He took refuge behind one of the Mic- 
quelet huts, and, notwithstanding our 
endeavours to dislodge him, remained 
there till night, when it is imagined he 
proceeded to the lines. Our firing was 
now very trifling. The enemy con¬ 
tinued making additions to their boyau 
and the works in the lines; but the 
latter were chiefly done in the night. 
Indeed, since our firing, their operations 
within our reach had been principally 
carried on during the night, at which 
time, or very late in the evening, they 
also relieved their guards. 

In the beginning of October, the 
enemy’s army, according to our intel¬ 
ligence, consisted of sixteen battalions 
of infantry, and twelve squadrons of 
horse, which, if the regiments were com¬ 
plete, would amount to about 14,000 
men. Lieutenant-General Don Mar¬ 
tin Alvarez de Sota Mayor was com¬ 
mander-in-chief. We continued our 
fire, varying as objects presented them¬ 
selves. 

The great command we had over 
the enemy’s operations from Green’s 
Lodge, induced the engineers to mount 
still higher, and endeavour to erect 
a battery on the summit of the north¬ 
ern front of the rock: a place there¬ 
fore was levelled, and a road for 
wheeled carriages begun at Middle- 
hill. The 4th, a soldier of the 58th 
attempted to desert from Middle-hill 


* The enemy, we were informed, attempted 
this practice, but never could bring it to per¬ 
fection. 


guard, but was dashed to pieces in 
his descent. The artillery were too 
impatient to have a gun mounted on 
the summit of the rock, to wait till the 
new road was finished: they accord¬ 
ingly determined to drag a twenty-four 
pounder up the steep craggy face of 
the rock ; and in a few days, with great 
difficulty and prodigious exertions, 
they were so successful as to get it to 
the top. The 9th, a party of the navy 
attempted to cut off two Spanish pola- 
cres, becalmed between Algeziras and 
their camp. Our seamen spiritedly 
boarded one, and were on their return 
with the other, when two galleys from 
Point Mala gave chase, maintaining a 
smart and well-directed fire as they 
advanced, and gained so considerably 
on the prizes that the captors were re¬ 
luctantly obliged to quit them, and 
betake themselves to their boats. The 
Childers sloop-of-war was ordered out 
to protect them, and fortunately was in 
time to stop the progress of the galleys. 
The tiller of one of our barges was 
carried away by a shot, but no other 
damage was received. 

The platform on the summit of the 
rock was completed on the 12th; and, 
the gun being mounted, the succeeding 
day we saluted the enemy’s forts with a 
few rounds of shot and shells. This gun 
was mounted on a traversing carriage, 
and was distinguished by the name of 
the Rock Gun. From that post we had 
nearly a bird’s-eye view of the enemy’s 
lines, and, with the assistance of glasses, 
could distinctly observe every operation 
in their camp. In the afternoon of the 
16th a servant of Mr. Davies (the agent- 
victualler of the garrison), under pre¬ 
tence of looking for a strayed goat, 
obtained leave to pass Landport bar¬ 
rier, and immediately went over to the 
enemy. The desertion of this man 
gave us some concern, as probably, to 
ensure a favourable reception, he might 
have taken with him some memoran¬ 
dums of the state of our provisions. 

The enemy’s parties had not been 
remarkably active in the beginning of 
the month; but about the 17th and 
18th, their workmen in the lines were 
more numerous than usual, which 
produced a more animated fire from 





1 / 79.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


35 


oar batteries. As our artillery by this 
time were accustomed to fire from 
heights, the small shells did consider¬ 
able execution amongst their workmen, 
many of whom we observed were car¬ 
ried off. On the evening of the 19th, 
the governor was at Willis’s, to see an 
experiment of a light ball, invented by 
Lieutenant Whitham, of the artillery. 
It was made of lead, and, when filled 
with composition, weighed 14 lbs. 10 oz. 
This ball, with 4 lbs. of powder, was 
fired at six degrees of elevation, out of 
a thirty-two pounder, upon the glacis 
of their lines : it burnt well; and the 
experiment would have been repeated, 
had not a thick fog suddenly arisen. 
The governor was at Willis’s the suc¬ 
ceeding morning, to see a second; when, 
the fog being totally dispersed, the 
light ball answered his expectation. 
The enemy, during the night, had been 
uncommonly noisy; but when the light 
balls were fired, no parties were dis¬ 
covered at work. Nevertheless, at day¬ 
break, to our great surprise we observed 
.35 embrasures opened in their lines, 
forming three batteries; two of 14 each, 
bearing on our lines and Willis’s, and 
one of 7, apparently for the town and 
Waterport. They were cut through 
the parapet of their glacis, and situated 
between the barrier of the lines and 
Fort St. Philip. The embrasures were 
all masked, and many of the merlons 
were in an unfinished state: the gover¬ 
nor ordered the artillery to direct their 
fire on these works, and on the seven- 
gun battery in particular, where they 
had a party finishing what was left im¬ 
perfect in the night.* In the afternoon, 
a Venetian was brought-to by a gun 
from Europa, and came in: two gal¬ 
leys attempted to cut her off, but in 
vain. 

Our workmen now became exceed¬ 
ingly diligent; new communications 
and works were raised in the lines, 
which were reinforced at night, with a 
subaltern and 43 men ; the alarm-posts 
of the regiments were also changed, 


# From the distance of these batteries, we 
did not imagine they would ever materially 
injure the garrison: but the cannonade and 
bombardment of 1781 convinced us of our 

error. 


and other arrangements took place. On 
the night of the 20th, we imagined, 
from the noise in the enemy’s lines, that 
their carpenters were platforming the 
new batteries, the merlons of which 
they had cased and capped with fas¬ 
cines. Their boyau now extended from 
the fascine park, almost to the barrier 
of the lines. The 23rd, a prize settee, 
laden with rice, was sent in from the 
eastward: she was taken by a privateer 
belonging to Mr. Anderson, of the gar¬ 
rison, the captain of which thought the 
cargo would be useful to the inhabit¬ 
ants ; and indeed this supply was truly 
seasonable. No vessel or boat had ar¬ 
rived for six weeks (excepting the Ve¬ 
netian, on the 20th instant), and every 
article in the garrison began to sell at 
a most exorbitant price: this trifling 
addition of provisions was therefore 
well received by the miserable Jews 
and Genoese, though the rice sold for 
21 dollars 6 reals per cwt., which, at 
40 d. sterling the dollar, is 3/. 12s. 6 d. 

The enemy’s artillery, on the 26th, 
decamped from their old ground, before 
the right wing of their front line, and 
took post near the Catalonians, where 
they were reinforced with a detach¬ 
ment that had lately joined. The follow¬ 
ing night, the Dutch dogger, which had 
brought us the supply of wheat some 
weeks before, sailed for Malaga: she 
took 73 Genoese and Spanish passen¬ 
gers. The next day our artillery got 
up to Middle-hill two twenty-four 
pounders, to be in readiness for a new 
battery, which was erecting below 
the rock gun. Another twenty-four- 
pounder was taken to the same place, 
on the morning of the 25th. Our firing 
still continued, as the enemy’s parties 
were daily bringing down timber and 
other materials for their new batteries. 

The 30th, an English privateer, 
called the Peace and Plenty, 18 six 
pounders,-M'Kenzie master, at¬ 

tempting to get in from the eastward, 
ran ashore half-way between Fort Bar¬ 
bara and the Devil’s Tower. Some of 
the crew came on shore on the neutral 
ground; the remainder, with the mas¬ 
ter, were brought off by the admiral’s 
boats : and on the night of the 31st, 
she was burnt. As there was some- 








36 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. III. 


thing extraordinary and unaccountable 
in the circumstances attending the loss 
of this vessel, I cannot resist the temp¬ 
tation of relating them more at large. 
In the morning she was bearing down 
under a fine sail and leading wind, 
for Europa advanced guard, as two 
xebeques were cruising off Europa 
Point. One of the xebeques, about 
nine, got within shot of her: a few 
rounds were exchanged, and the priva¬ 
teer was apparently resolved to fight 
her way in; but on a sudden she al¬ 
tered her course, and ran ashore under 
the enemy’s guns, about 400 or 500 
yards from the garrison. The boatswain 
was killed, and several others wounded 
from the fort, before our boats arrived 
to their relief. 

Towards the conclusion of the month, 
the small-pox was discovered in the 
garrison, amongst the Jews. The go¬ 
vernor, apprehensive that it might 
spread amongst the troops, and be at¬ 
tended with dangerous consequences, 
ordered those who had never been 
affected with that disorder, to be quai- 
tered at the southward till the infection 
should disappear; and every precaution 
was taken to prevent its communicating. 
In the evening of the 31st, the new bat¬ 
tery below the rock gun was finished: 
it mounted four twenty-four pounders, 
and was called the Royal battery. 

November was not introduced by 
any remarkable event. The fire from 
our batteries was variable, as their 
workmen were employed. Consider¬ 
able deposits of fascines, with planks 
and pieces of timber, were formed in 
the Spanish lines; and other parts of 
their glacis were raised with fascines 
and sand for additional mortar bat¬ 
teries. The 3rd, the enemy began to 
form merlons at Fort Tonara, on the 
eastern shore, which, joined with the 
circumstances of their erecting two fas¬ 
cine batteries on the beach, between 
Fort St. Philip and Point Mala, and 
one near the magazine at the Orange 
grove, gave us reason to suppose that 
they expected a fleet in their neighbour¬ 
hood. Few workmen were at this time 
to be seen in their lines: a party was 
trimming up the boyau : and numbers 
were employed about the landing-place 


in disembarking stores; which ap¬ 
peared to be their chief employment. 

Provisions of every kind were now 
becoming very scarce and exorbitantly 
dear in the garrison; mutton 3s. and 
3s. 6d. per pound; veal 4s., pork 2s. and 
2s. 6d., a pig’s head 19s., ducks from 
14s. to 18s. a couple; and a goose a 
guinea. Fish was equally high, and 
vegetables were with difficulty to be got 
for any money; but bread, the great 
essential of life and health, was the ar¬ 
ticle most wanted. It was about this 
period, that the governor made trial 
what quantity of rice would suffice 
a single person for twenty-four hours, 
and actually lived himself eight days 
on four ounces of rice per day. Gene¬ 
ral Eliott was remarkable for an abste¬ 
mious mode of living, seldom tasting 
anything but vegetables, simple pud¬ 
dings, and water; and yet was very 
hale, and used constant exercise: but 
the small portion just mentioned would 
be far from sufficient for a working 
man kept continually employed, and in 
a climate where the heat necessarily 
demands very refreshing nourishment 
to support nature under fatigue. 

Two deserters came in, with their 
arms, on the night of the 11th. They 
belonged to the Walon guards, a corps 
in the Spanish service, composed prin¬ 
cipally, if not entirely, of foreigners. 
The following morning they were con¬ 
ducted to Willis’s, whence they had a 
view of the enemy’s works, which they 
described to the governor. The Spa¬ 
nish army were under arms on the 12th, 
in the front of their camp, and were 
dismissed by corps as the general 
passed. 

The 14th, arrived the Buck cutter 
privateer, Captain Fagg, carrying 24 
9-pounders. The abilities and bravery 
of a British sailor were so eminently 
conspicuous in the captain’s conduct 
previous to his arrival, that even our . 
enemies could not help bestowing on 
him the encomiums to which his merit 
entitled him. About eight in the morn¬ 
ing, the privateer was discovered in 
the Gut, with a westerly breeze. The 
usual signal for seeing an enemy was 
made by the Spaniards at Cabrita 
Point; and Admiral. Barcelo, with a 





1779.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


37 


ship of the line, one of 50 guns, a fri¬ 
gate of 40, two xebeques, a settee of 
14 guns, with half-galleys, &c. &c. to 
the number of 21, got under way to in¬ 
tercept her. On the first alarm a 
xebeque at anchor off Cabrita had 
weighed, and stood out into the Straits: 
the cutter nevertheless continued her 
course; but observing the whole Spa¬ 
nish squadron turning the Point, she 
suddenly tacked, and stood towards the 
Barbary shore: the xebeques, frigate, 
and lighter vessels pursued, but were 
carried down to leeward by the irresis¬ 
tible rapidity of the current, whilst the 
cutter in a great degree maintained her 
station. As it may appear very extra¬ 
ordinary to readers unacquainted with 
nautical affairs, that the privateer 
should not be equally affected by the 
current, it may be necessary to inform 
them, that a cutter, or any vessel rigged 
in the same manner, from the forma.- 
tion of her sails can go some points 
nearer the wind than a square-rigged 
vessel; which advantage, on this occa¬ 
sion, enabled Captain Fagg to turn 
better to windward, by stemming the 
current, whilst the Spaniards, by oppos¬ 
ing their broadsides, were carried away 
to the eastward. But to resume the 
narrative : Barcelo, who had his flag 
on board the 74, was the last in the 
chase, and, perceiving his squadron 
driving to leeward, prudently returned 
to the Point, to be in readiness to inter¬ 
cept her in the bay. The 50-gun ship 
also laid her head to the current, and 
keeping that position, drove very little 
in comparison with her friends. Affairs 
were thus situated when Captain Fagg, 
persuaded that the danger was over, 
boldly steered for the garrison. The 
50-gun ship endeavoured to cut her off 
from the eastward, but was compelled 
to retire by our batteries at Europa: 
and Barcelo got under way to inter¬ 
cept her from Cabrita Point; but find¬ 
ing his efforts ineffectual, he was 
obliged to haul his wind, and giving 
her two irregular broadsides, of grape 
and round, followed his unsuccessful 
squadron to the eastward. The cutter 
insultingly returned the Spanish ad¬ 
miral’s fire with her stern-chase, and 
soon after anchored under our guns. 


I The expectations of the troops and 
J inhabitants, who were spectators of the 
action, had been raised to the highest 
pitch: few doubted but she was a king’s 
vessel; and as no intelligence had been 
received from England for many weeks, 
their flattering fancies painted her the 
messenger of good news; probably the 
forerunner of a fleet to their relief. 
But what was their despondency and dis¬ 
appointment, when they were informed 
that she Ivas only a privateer, had been 
a considerable time at sea, and put in 
for provisions ! Though our condition 
in the victualling-office became weekly 
more and more serious, yet the gover¬ 
nor generously promised Captain Fagg 
assistance. What indeed could be re¬ 
fused to a man by whose boldness and 
skilful manoeuvres the port was once 
more open, and the bay and Straits 
again under the command of a British 
admiral ? Only two or three half¬ 
galleys returned to Cabrita Point; the 
rest of their squadron were driven far 
to leeward of the rock. 

Assuming the liberty of a short di¬ 
gression in this place, it may be neces¬ 
sary to inform the reader of the extent 
and breadth of the Straits of Gibraltar, 
and acquaint him at the same time 
with the opinions of different writers 
concerning the perpetual current that 
sets into the Mediterranean Sea, from 
the great Atlantic Ocean, which has so 
long engaged the attention of many 
celebrated natural philosophers. 

The Straits of Gibraltar (formerly 
known by the name of the Herculean 
Straits) are about twelve leagues in ex¬ 
tent, from Cape Spartel to Ceuta Point, 
on the African coast, and from Cape 
Trafalgar to Europa Point, on the 
coast of Spain. At the western en¬ 
trance, they are in breadth about eight 
leagues, but diminish considerably 
about the middle, opposite Tarifa (a 
small fishing-town on the Spanish 
coast, originally a place of great con¬ 
sequence and strength), though they 
widen again between Gibraltar and 
Ceuta, where they are about five 
leagues broad. 

Philosophers, who have communi¬ 
cated their sentiments on the extraor¬ 
dinary phenomenon of a constant cur- 






38 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. III. 


rent, differ widely in accounting for 
the disposition of that continual influx 
of waters, which, it is natural to sup¬ 
pose, would, without some consumption 
or return, soon overflow the bounda¬ 
ries of the Mediterranean Sea. The 
ingenious Dr. Halley was of opinion, 
that this perpetual supply of water 
from the vast Atlantic Ocean was in¬ 
tended by nature to recruit what was 
daily exhaled in vapour: others again 
think, the waters that roll in with the 
centre current are returned, by two 
counter-streams, along the African and 
Spanish shores. That there are two 
counter-streams is without doubt; but 
their rapidity and breadth bear little 
proportion to the principal current. A 
third class suppose a counter-current 
beneath, and of equal strength with the 
upper stream; and this opinion appears 
confirmed by a circumstance related by 
Colonel James, in his description of 
the Herculean Straits, of a Dutch ship 
being sunk in action by a French pri¬ 
vateer off Tarifa, which some time 
afterwards was cast up near Tangier, 
four leagues to the westward of the 
place where she disappeared, and 
directly against the upper current. 
This hypothesis receives also addi¬ 
tional support from the repeated disap¬ 
pointments which have been experi¬ 
enced by many naval officers, in at¬ 
tempting to sound the depth of the 
Straits with the longest lines: for the 
opposition between the currents might 
carry the line in such directions as 
to defeat the intention of this experi¬ 
ment 

These facts seem strongly to indicate 
a recurrency to the westward; which, 
though it may riot be so rapid as the 
upper stream, yet, with the assistance 
of the currents along the Spanish and 
Barbary shores, and the necessary ex¬ 
halations, may account for the Mediter¬ 
ranean Sea never increasing by the 
constant supply received from the At¬ 
lantic Ocean. The rapidity of the su¬ 
perior current renders the passage from 
the Mediterranean to the westward 
very precarious and uncertain, as ships 
never can stem the stream without a 
brisk Levanter, or easterly wind. Ves¬ 
sels, therefore, are often detained l 


weeks and sometimes months, waiting 
for a favourable breeze; in which case 
they find a comfortable berth in the 
bay of Gibraltar.—To return to my 
narrative. 

Two frigates, on the night of the 
14th, joined the enemy’s small craft in 
the bay, from the west. It was thought 
from some preparations that were made 
on board our men-of-war the succeed¬ 
ing evening, that Admiral Duff in¬ 
tended an attempt to cut out or destroy 
these ships : a council was held in the 
navy, and the practicability of such an en¬ 
terprise debated; but nothing was done. 

The bay being again open, the night 
of the 19th a Moorish settee came in, 
with 39 bullocks and a few sheep: the 
former were so weak and poor, that 
many of them died on the beach as 
soon as they were landed: they were, 
however, a most acceptable supply. 
The patron informed us that a vessel 
had sailed the preceding night for the 
garrison, with 40 bullocks, 50 sheep, 
and 30 goats; which we imagined was 
taken by the galleys at the Point. The 
following day, a Swede stood in for the 
garrison, with a signal at her fore-top¬ 
gallant mast-head, by which she was 
known to be laden with provisions, and 
consigned to an inhabitant. Off the 
Point she was boarded by a row-boat, 
and conducted immediately to Alge- 
ziras. The 23rd the governor pro¬ 
portioned the fuel to the officers. This 
article was now become scarce and 
important. The coals in the garrison 
were few: what fuel, therefore, was is¬ 
sued at this period, was wood from ships 
bought by government, and broken up 
for that purpose, but which had so 
strongly imbibed the salt water, that it 
was with the utmost difficulty we could 
make it take fire. 

A small boat arrived on the 24th, 
with a packet from Mr. Logie: this 
packet was landed at Mogadore in 
South Barbary, by the Fortune sloop- 
of-war, Captain Squires. If I rightly 
recollect, it was upon this occasion that 
the following successful stratagem was 
effected, through the fidelity of a Moor 
entrusted by Mr. Logie to carry the 
dispatches to that part of the coast, 
l whence, to prevent interception, he 




1779.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


39 


thought it prudent to send them to 
Gibraltar. The Spaniards, acquainted 
with the importance of these dispatches, 
wished to prevent them coming to our 
hands; and accordingly offered 1000 
cobs (about 225/. sterling) to the Moor, 
to induce him to betray his trust, and 
pretend he had been robbed on his way 
to the coast. The faithful Moor im¬ 
mediately acquainted the consul with 
the offer, who directed him to promise 
that he would comply. In the interval 
Mr. Logie prepared false dispatches, 
in ciphers, signed and dated them 
from St. James’s, and affixed a seal 
from the cover of a letter from Lord 
Hillsborough to himself: these were 
inclosed in the usual form, and directed 
to General Eliott. The Moor re¬ 
ceived part of the bribe, and delivered 
up the fictitious packet: Mr. Logie on 
his return appeared much distressed by 
the accident, and the next evening sent 
the real dispatches to Gibraltar. 

The wind veering round to the 
southward, on the 26th Admiral Bar- 
celo returned from Ceuta to his old 
anchorage off Algeziras, and the port 
again became closely blockaded. A 
deserter came in, on the morning of 
the 30th, from the lines; he belonged 
to the Walon guards; and about five in 
the afternoon, another Walon deserted 
to us. They fired several muskets at 
the latter, and he turned about and re¬ 
turned the shot: three horsemen then 
pursued him, but were driven back by 
our artillery. After the first gun-fire, 
two more came in of the same corps. 

The enemy’s operations continued to 
be confined to the completion of their 
batteries, and the finishing of their 
boyau. In their camp we observed 
them busily employed in erecting huts 
for the accommodation of their troops 
against the winter rains, which now 
had begun to set in. On the other 
hand, the governor made every neces¬ 
sary addition to the works. Waterport 
covered way was doubly palisaded, and 
a battery for three guns erected on the 
projecting quay; a work of masonry, to 
mount two guns, was built at Ragged- 
staff ; and traverses of casks and earth 
were raised on the different roads, on 
the north front, to secure the commu¬ 


nications. Some improvements were 
also made in the batteries and works 
at Europa. 

December commenced with the cap¬ 
ture of a Genoese polacre, becalmed off 
Eurcpa. Our sailors found about 220/. 
in money on board, with some letters, 
from which we learned that the enemy 
sustained some loss in the lines from 
our fire. The 4th, the enemy beat a 
parley, and sent in a mule (belonging 
to Colonel Green, the chief engineer) 
which had strayed to their lines; an 
instance of politeness which we did not 
expect. The 8th, another deserter 
came in; he was pursued, but we pro¬ 
tected him. The subsequent day we 
observed several men about the west¬ 
ern and eastern advanced stone guard¬ 
houses, which we imagined were posted 
there to prevent desertion. Our artil¬ 
lery endeavoured to dislodge them with 
round shot, but did not succeed. The 
10th, the enemy fired several rounds, 
from Fort St. Philip, at our fishing- 
boats in the bay. Four soldiers of 
De la Motte’s regiment, quartered on 
Windmill-hill, attempted, on the 13th, 
to desert: search was however imme¬ 
diately made for them, and two were 
retaken. Those who escaped were 
supposed to have got down by a rope- 
ladder, left by the party employed in 
cutting brush-wood for fascines. The 
next day another of the enemy endea¬ 
voured to come over to us, but, being 
pursued by two horsemen, was cut 
down and secured. One of the horses 
belonging to the pursuers was killed 
by our fire, and the rider much bfuised 
with the fall. The succeeding day 
this unfortunate man was executed on 
a new gallows, erected near their artil¬ 
lery park, and the body, according to 
custom, hung till sunset. 

The governor, on the 19th, ordered 
that no guns should be fired from the 
garrison at the enemy’s shipping, if 
the distance required more than 6° ele¬ 
vation ; except when ships were chas¬ 
ing or engaged. On the 20th, the 
Buck, having refitted, sailed on a cruise 
to the eastward. We were afterwards 
informed that she unfortunately fell in 
with a French frigate, which, after a 
few broadsides, captured the Buck; 




40 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. in. 


but before she could be got into port, 
she sunk from the damage received in 
the action. On the night of the 26th, 
we had a most violent storm of rain, 
with dreadful thunder and lightning. 
The succeeding morning a vast quan¬ 
tity of wood, cork, &c. was floating 
under our walls: the rain had washed 
it from the banks of the Palmones and 
Guadaranque, and it was wafted by the 
wind over to our side of the bay. Fuel 
had long been a scarce article: this 
supply was therefore considered as a 
miraculous interference of Providence 
in our favour. 

The enemy, the 27th, fired four guns 
from Fort St. Philip : one of the shot 
struck the extremity of Prince’s lines. 
Whether these were fired to frighten 
our fishermen, who were dragging their 
nets near the farther gardens, with¬ 
out Landport, or only as an experi¬ 
ment, we could not say, as they imme¬ 
diately ceased on our returning the 
fire from Willis’s. The day following, 
came in three deserters; and the same 
morning the Fly packet-boat arrived 
from Tangier, with 40 goats, fowls and 
eggs, but no mail : this cargo, though 
trifling, was highly acceptable. The 
deserters informed us that the enemy 
were almost overflowed in their lines, 
from the late excessive rains: in some 
places, particularly near the new bat¬ 
teries, the water was two and three 
feet deep; and their efforts to drain it 
off had hitherto been ineffectual. The 
28th, a soldier of Hardeuberg’s deserted 
down the back of the rock. 

January, 1780, did not commence 
with any very interesting events. A 
squadron of men-of-war passed through 
to the west on the 2nd : it being hazy, 
we could not distinguish of what nation 
they were; but many thought them 
Spaniards from Carthagena. On the 
evening of the 5th, a fire broke out in 
the enemy’s camp, which, we after¬ 
wards learned, destroyed four officers’ 
marquees, and six or seven huts. The 
following day, after gun-fire, two Wa- 
lons deserted to us: they brought infor¬ 
mation that upwards of forty mortars 
were mounted in the lines, and that all 
their batteries were completed with 
cannon. 


A Neapolitan polacre was luckily 
driven under our guns on the 8th, and 
obliged to come in. On board we found 
about 6000 bushels of barley, a cargo 
(circumstanced as we were) of inesti¬ 
mable value. The bakers had long been 
limited to the quantity of bread daily to 
be issued to the inhabitants, and sen¬ 
tries were placed at the wickets -where 
it was delivered, to prevent confusion 
and riot. The strongest, nevertheless, 
had the advantage; so that numbers of 
women, children, and infirm persons 
returned to their miserable habitations, 
frequently without tasting, for some 
days, that chief, and perhaps necessary 
support of life. The inhabitants were 
not the only sufferers in this scene of 
distress; many officers and soldiers had 
families to support out of the pittance 
received from the victualling - office. 
A soldier, with his wife and three 
children, would inevitably have been 
starved to death, had not the generous 
contribution of his corps relieved his 
family. One woman actually died 
through want; and many were so en¬ 
feebled that it was not without great 
attention they recovered. Thistles, 
dandelion, wild leeks, &c. were for 
some time the daily nourishment of 
numbers. Few supplies arriving from 
Barbary, and there appearing little 
prospect of relief from England, famine 
began to present itself with its attendant 
horrors. Had there b^en a glimmer¬ 
ing hope of assistance from home, it 
would have enabled many to support 
themselves under this accumulation of 
distress; but, alas ! we seemed entirely 
abandoned to our fortune. 

Not only bread, but every article 
necessary to the support of life, was 
hard to be procured, and only to be 
purchased at exorbitant prices. Veal, 
mutton, and beef sold from 2s. 6 d. to 
4s. per pound; fresh pork, from 2s. 
to 3s.; salt beef and pork, Is. 3d. 
per pound; fowls, 18s. per couple; 
ducks, 21s.: firewood, 5s. per cwt; 
a pint of milk and water, Is. 3d. Ve¬ 
getables. were extremely scarce: a 
small cabbage cost Is. 6 d., and a small 
bunch of the outward leaves sold for 
5 d. Irish butter, 2s. 6 d. per pound; 
eggs, 6d. each; and candles, 2s. 6d. per 








1780.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


41 


pound. The best fish was most exor¬ 
bitantly dear, considering on what 
terms the garrison had been formerly 
supplied. It is natural to suppose, from 
the rock being almost surrounded with 
the sea, that we should have a constant 
resource in this article. The contrary 
was, however, the case: our fishermen 
were foreigners, and being under no 
regulation, they exacted, by degrees, 
most extravagant sums for what some 
months before we should have refused 
with disgust. 

This extreme scarcity of provisions, 
it may well be imagined, could not fail 
to exercise the invention of individuals. 
A singular mode of hatching chickens 
was about this time successfully prac¬ 
tised by the Hanoverians; and, as it 
may be acceptable to some readers, 
the process, as communicated by a 
friend, is here inserted. The eggs 
were placed, with some cotton, wool, 
or other warm substance, in a tin case 
of such construction as to be heated 
either by a lamp or hot water; and, by 
a proper attention to the temperature 
of heat, the eggs were commonly 
hatched in the usual time of a hen’s 
sitting. A capon (however strange it 
may appear) was then taught to rear 
them. To reconcile him to this trust, 
the feathers were plucked from his 
breast and belly; he was then gently 
scourged with a bunch of nettles, and 
placed upon the young hatch, whose 
downy warmth afforded such comfort 
to the bared and smarting parts, that 
he, from that period, reared them up 
with the care and tenderness of a 
mother. 

Early in the morning of the 10th, a 
squadron of ships was seen to the east, 
which had passed through in the night; 
five were of the line, and one under 
jury-masts : supposed to be Count d’Es- 
taing’s fleet from the West Indies. The 
same day a soldier of the 58th regiment 
was executed for stealing: he was the 
first man who had suffered since Gene¬ 
ral Eliott had been governor. The day 
following, the enemy fired, from Fort 
St. Barbara, on a clergyman perform¬ 
ing the last office over the corpse of a 
soldier of the 72nd regiment, at the 
burial - ground near the governor’s 


meadow. The party immediately re¬ 
tired, though not before they had de¬ 
posited their charge. As this conduct 
convinced us that the enemy would not 
permit us to bury our dead without 
the garrison, a part of the red sands 
behind the Princess of Wales’s lines 
was appropriated to that purpose. 

The 12th, they surprised us again 
with ten shot from Fort St. Philip; 
several came into town, and did some 
trifling damage amongst the buildings. 
The inhabitants, whose alarms had not 
totally subsided since the middle of 
September, when the governor opened 
upon the enemy, were now perfectly 
convinced they meant to return our 
fire; and accordingly began, on the 
first report of their guns, to remove 
themselves to the southward. Some in 
the greatest confusion endeavoured to 
secure their valuables in town; but the 
firing ceasing, the fugitives, before 
night, summoned up sufficient courage 
to return. A woman, passing near one 
of the houses, was slightly hurt. It 
was singular that a female should be 
the first person wounded by the enemy 
at this remarkable siege. In the even¬ 
ing, the commanding officers had orders 
to inform their corps that the governor 
was under the necessity of curtailing 
the weekly allowance of provisions. 
Disagreeable as this intelligence was, 
and particulai’ly when we consider the 
distress which many experienced even 
with the full allowance, the men re¬ 
ceived it without the smallest appear¬ 
ance of discontent. Convinced of the 
necessity, they acquiesced with cheer¬ 
fulness ; indeed, to do them justice, in 
all the vicissitudes of this trying period 
the garrison submitted, without mur¬ 
muring, to every necessary regulation, 
however unpleasing. It was fortunate 
for many that this short allowance of 
provisions did not continue long: nay, 
it remained a doubt with some whether, 
at the time, the governor was not ap¬ 
prised of a relief being near, and did 
not enact this regulation solely to make 
trial of the disposition of his troops. If 
so, how satisfactory a circumstance 
must it have been to find the army 
under his command accord with so 
much good humour to what might be 




42 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. III. 


considered as a real hardship, however 
indispensable! 

Admiral Duff, on the 13th, gave 
orders to the men-of-war and armed 
vessels to be prepared, in case a convoy 
was near, to afford every protection to 
any straggling ships that might attempt 
the port before the main body arrived. 
This caution confirmed us in the opi¬ 
nion of a convoy being expected; and 
a general joy was diffused throughout 
the garrison at the flattering, though 
probably distant prospect. Two days 
after, a brig, which with other vessels 
seemed to be going through to the east, 
suddenly altered her course, and, not¬ 
withstanding she was opposed by the 
enemy, anchored under our walls. A 
ship with the British flag, entering the 
bay, was so uncommon a sight that 
almost the whole garrison were assem¬ 
bled at the southward to welcome her 
in; but words are insufficient to describe 
their transports on being informed that 
she was one of a large convoy which 
had sailed the latter end of the pre¬ 
ceding month for our relief. The dis¬ 
tressed Jews, and other inhabitants, 
were frantic with joy; and the repeated 
huzzas from all quarters for some time 
prevented further inquiries. We after¬ 
wards learned that she had parted com¬ 
pany with the convoy in the Bay of 
Biscay, and off Cadiz had discovered 
nine sail of large ships, which the 
master concluded were Spaniards sta¬ 
tioned there to oppose their entrance. 
The latter part of their information 
gave us much uneasiness. The enemy, 
we concluded, would have good intelli¬ 
gence of the force of the British con¬ 
voy. If, therefore, any opposition was 
intended, a superior squadron would 
consequently be stationed at the en¬ 
trance of the Straits. These reflections 
damped, in a great degree, the plea¬ 
sure we before experienced, and made 
us apprehensive that the relief was not 
so near as we at first expected. The 
prospect of it had, however, a very vi¬ 
sible effect on the price of provisions, 
which immediately fell more than two- 
thirds. 

Since it was probable that straggling 
ships might attempt the port before the 
body of the convoy approached, the 


Childers sloop-of-war and armed ves¬ 
sels were ordered to cruise in the bay 
to protect them from the enemy’s small- 
craft. Previous to the arrival of the 
brig, a soldier of the 58th regiment 
deserted from a party employed behind 
the rock in gathering shrubs, &c. for 
fascines. The 16 th, a Walon deserted 
to us, by whom we were informed that 
the enemy had everything prepared in 
their lines to bombard the town. At an¬ 
other time we should have been greatly 
alarmed at this intelligence; but our 
thoughts were too much engaged with 
the pleasing though uncertain hopes 
of relief to reflect on the consequences 
of a bombardment. In the evening 
our apprehensions concerning the con¬ 
voy were totally dispelled by the ar¬ 
rival of a brig laden with flour, which 
communicated the joyful news that 
on the 8th of January Admiral Sir 
George Brydges Rodney had captured, 
off the coast of Portugal, a Spanish 
64-gun ship, five of 32 and 28 guns, 
with fifteen merchantmen, belonging to 
the Caracca Company, going from Bil- 
boa to Cadiz; and that, with a fleet of 
twenty-one sail of the line and a large 
convoy of merchant-ships and trans¬ 
ports, he was proceeding to our relief. 
Every idea of opposition at this infor¬ 
mation immediately vanished ; and we 
anticipated the flattering prospect of 
seeing the British flag once more tri¬ 
umphantly displayed in the Mediterra¬ 
nean. 

The weather on the 17th was very 
hazy; but clearing up the succeeding day, 
one of the prizes arrived without any op¬ 
position from the enemy. The midship¬ 
man who brought her in informed us, 
that when he parted with the fleet on 
the 16th, Sir George was engaged with 
a Spanish squadron off Cape St. Mary’s; 
and that, just before they lost sight of 
them, a ship of the line blew up ; but 
he was at too great a distance to dis¬ 
tinguish whether she was friend or foe. 
In the evening one of the armed Ca¬ 
racca prizes came in, but no further 
particulars of the engagement could be 
learned. Our anxiety concerning the 
event of the action was, however, re¬ 
moved a few hours afterwards by the 
appearance of the convoy itself off Eu- 




1780.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


43 


ropa. The wind, at that critical time, 
unfortunately failed them; and the vi¬ 
vid flashes of lightning, by which we 
had discovered the fleet at the first, only 
served to exhibit them to us driving 
with the current to the eastward of the 
rock. The Apollo frigate, Captain Pow- 
nall, with one or two merchantmen, 
nevertheless got in about eleven ; and 
by the former the governor and garri¬ 
son were acquainted with the agreeable 
tidings of a complete victory over the 
Spanish admiral, who, with three others 
of his squadron, was taken : one was 
run ashore, another blown up in the 
engagement, and the rest dispersed. 

We now found that the plan for re¬ 
lieving Gibraltar had been conducted 
at home with such secrecy and pru¬ 
dence that the enemy never suspected 
that Sir George meant to convoy the 
transports to the Straits with so strong 
a fleet. By their intelligence from 
Brest, they understood he was to sepa¬ 
rate in a certain latitude, and proceed 
with the main body of the men-of-war 
to the West Indies. Thus deceived, 
they concluded that the transports with 
their convoy would fall an easy prey 
to their squadron, which consisted of 
eleven men-of-war, all chosen ships 
from their grand fleet. 

At daybreak, on the morning of the 
19th, the enemy unmasked one of their 
14-gun batteries. The guns, with those 
in the fort, were all elevated, and 
the lines reinforced with two regiments 
of infantry. The governor, notwith¬ 
standing these appearances, ordered a 
royal salute to be fired at six o’clock 
from Willis’s. The Panther man-of- 
war was decorated, and also fired a 
salute on account of this victory. About 
seven the Edgar arrived, with the Phoe¬ 
nix prize of 80 guns, having on board 
the Spanish admiral, Don Juan de 
Langara y Huarte. This ship had lost 
her mizen and main top-masts, but 
seemed little injured in the hull. The 
admiral, who was wounded in the en¬ 
gagement, was conducted on shore in 
file evening to lodgings in town, and 
had every attention and compliment 
paid him which were due to his rank. 
At night, Admiral Digby, in the 
Prince George, worked round Europa 


with eleven or twelve ships; but Sir 
George remained with the crippled 
prizes, and with the main body of the 
fleet, off Marbella, a Spanish town, 
formerly of note, sixteen leagues to the 
eastward of Gibraltar. 

The 20th, being the anniversary of 
the King of Spain’s birthday, Admiral 
Barcelo’s ships were decorated accord¬ 
ing to custom. When the colours were 
struck in the evening, the flag-ship, 
with her consort of 50 guns, was hauled 
close in land ; and the next day a large 
party began to erect a battery on the 
shore for their protection; being ap¬ 
prehensive, probably, of an attack from 
the British fleet. The night of the 
21st, the enemy unmasked the other 
batteries in the lines, which again 
caused a general disturbance amongst 
the inhabitants. Everything seemed 
now prepared to fire upon the town. 
The convoy continued beating up ; but 
the prizes were so damaged in their 
rigging that they could not be expected 
to make the bay till the w ind veered 
round to the east. Early on the 22nd, 
several men-of-war, in coming into the 
bay, were carried down under the ene¬ 
my’s batteries near Point Mala, which 
occasioned a general alarm in their 
camp. Drums beat to arms, and their 
artillery opened in an instant. The 
boats of the fleet, however, were or¬ 
dered to their assistance, and the ships 
were towed back without receiving 
much damage. One man was killed 
and two wounded on board the Ter¬ 
rible ; all of them Spanish prisoners. 

Sir George, on his arrival off the 
coast of Barbary, had sent intelligence 
to Mr. Logie to prepare supplies for the 
garrison. Three vessels therefore sailed 
in the course of the 22nd for Tetuan to 
bring over what was at hand. The 
consul had provided cattle, fascines, 
pickets, &c. in readiness for the ships 
when they arrived ; but, to his surprise, 
the ships sent in the hurry of business, 
under convoy of the Bedford, were 
transports fitted up for the reception of 
troops, with many weeks’ provisions on 
board ; and before the berths could be 
removed to admit the supplies, the 
wind came easterly, and the ships were 
obliged to return without them. This 




44 


HISTORY OF THE 


[CHAP. III. 


oversight was of great detriment to the 
garrison, as at this period we might 
have procured fresh provisions, which 
with economy would have served for 
some months. The garrison vessels 
were afterwards sent for these articles; 
but after Sir George Rodney’s depar¬ 
ture, most of them were detained by 
the vigilance of the enemy’s cruisers. 

We learned by the Childers, on the 
23rd, that Sir George was at anchor, 
with the prizes, in Tetuan Road; and 
waited only a favourable wind to join 
the remainder of the fleet in the bay. 
As the town of Tetuan has frequently 
been mentioned in the preceding pages, 
and probably will as often occur in the 
course of the subsequent, the reader 
will perhaps not be displeased to find 
in this place a short description of it. 
Tetuan is a very ancient town in Bar¬ 
bary, situated to the south-east of Ceuta, 
about six miles from the sea, on a river 
which meanders beautifully through a 
pleasant country ; but which has a bar 
at the entrance, that renders it unnavi- 
gable for large ships. Small vessels 
get up about two miles, as far as Mar- 
teen, which is the quay and port of 
Tetuan. The town is walled round 
with square towers at different dis¬ 
tances to flank the curtains. It is 
built on the gentle slope of a hill; and 
the houses being white, with flat roofs, 
have the appearance at a distance of an 
encampment. The buildings are so 
contrived that a person may go from 
one end of the town to the other with¬ 
out descending into the streets, and in 
this manner their women, by occupying 
the upper stories, visit each other with¬ 
out being exposed to the sight of the 
male sex in the streets below. 

The town has a manufactory, and 
carries on a considerable trade, princi¬ 
pally in barter; the road is, however, 
so exposed towards the east, that ships 
cannot remain there during the Levant 
winds. The Moors exchange cattle, 
poultry, and fruit for other articles; 
and when there is a truce between the 
powers, supply several parts of Spain 
with provisions. The oranges of Te- 
tuan are esteemed the largest and best 
flavoured of any in that part of the globe. 

The enemy, we imagined, were not 


a little alarmed by the casual appear¬ 
ance of our ships on the morning of the 
22nd, as, for several days after, they 
were busy in removing cannon from 
their artillery park to the different bat¬ 
teries along the coast. At Algeziras 
the top-masts and yards of the men-of- 
war were struck, and the ships hauled 
as close in land, under the protection 
of the new battery, as the depth of 
water would admit. Several Spanish 
officers were now permitted to return 
on their parole to Spain. The 24th, 
the Childers sailed back to Tetuan; 
and soon after arrived a British letter 
of marque from Newfoundland, laden 
with salt-fish. 

Whilst the fleet remained in the bay 
the governor and garrison were often 
honoured with the presence of the 
royal midshipman, Prince William 
Henry ;* and when that youthful hero, 
on his return, laid his early laurels at 
the feet of his royal father, he pre¬ 
sented, at the same time, a plan of the 
garrison, in the relief of which he had 
made his first naval essay. In that 
plan were delineated the improvements 
which the place had undergone, and 
the new batteries erected on the heights 
since the commencement of the blockade. 

The mention of his royal highness 
brings to my recollection an anecdote 
of him, which occurred whilst the fleet 
was in the bay. The Spanish admiral, 
Don Juan Langara, one morning visited 
Admiral Digby, to whose charge the 
prince was entrusted, and Don Langara 
was of course introduced to his royal 
highness. During the conference be¬ 
tween the admirals, Prince William 
retired; and when it was intimated 
that Don Juan wished to return, his 
royal highness appeared in his charac¬ 
ter of midshipman, and respectfully 
informed the admiral that the boat was 
ready. The Spaniard, astonished to see 
the son of a monarch acting as a petty 
officer, immediately exclaimed, “Well 
does Great Britain merit the empire of 
the sea, when the humblest stations in 
her navy are supported by princes of 
the blood.” f 


* His late Majesty, King William IV. 

•{- In consequence of learning that doubts 





1780.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


45 


Three of the enemy, on the 25th, 
deserted to the garrison; a fourth, at¬ 
tempting to desert, was retaken, and 
another was shot by the pursuers within 
musket-sliot of our lines. We tired 
from Willis’s at the horsemen who fol¬ 
lowed them, and wounded two of their 
horses. The deserters said it was re¬ 
ported that the enemy intended bom¬ 
barding the town the succeeding day. 
For several preceding months we had 
reason, from their operations, to think 
such an event not improbable. Seven 
or eight mortar batteries had been dis¬ 
tributed along their lines, in which, 
according to our intelligence, were up¬ 
wards of forty mortars; these, with 
the cannon bearing on the garrison 
from their gun batteries, amounted in 
all to upwards of 100 pieces of ordnance. 
They, therefore, were not unprepared 
for such service ; but whether the cir¬ 
cumstance of the Spanish admiral and 
officers being lodged in the town might 
not at that time in some degree influence 
their conduct, or whether they were 
overawed by the strong naval force 
in their neighbourhood, they deferred 
the bombardment to a more distant 
period. 

Sir George arrived in the Sandwich 
from Tetuan on the 25th; and the fol¬ 
lowing day the prizes and remaining 
men-of-war were all at anchor in the 
bay. A council of war was immedi¬ 
ately held on the admiral’s arrival; 
but the subject of their debates was not 
made public. Late in the evening of 
the same day a Newfoundland vessel 
with fish, coming in, approached so 


had been expressed respecting the authenticity 
of this anecdote, the author wrote, in 1835, to 
Sir Herbert Taylor, then private secretary to 
the King, and received from him the following 
reply 

“ My dear Colonel,—I have taken the earli¬ 
est opportunity of submitting to the King the 
memorandum you left with me at St. James’s 
Palace respecting the passage at page 90 
of [p. 44 of the present edition] your valuable 
and interesting work, the ‘ History of the Siege 
of Gibraltar,’ to which it refers; and I have 
now the pleasure to acquaint you, by com¬ 
mand of his Majesty, that the anecdote there 
given is correctly stated in every respect, and 
therefore that any alteration of it which may 
have been suggested is uncalled for. 

“ Windsor Castle, 24th March, lo35.” 


close to the enemy’s coast, that our 
guard-boats were obliged to bring her 
to her proper berth. 

The Fortune sloop carried over to 
Point Mala, on the 26th, the Spanish 
wounded prisoners : Admiral Langara, 
with his suite, still remained in Gib¬ 
raltar. Admiral Sir George Brydges 
Rodney landed on the 27th at Ragged 
Staff, and, after visiting the Spanish 
admiral, dined with the governor. 
Prince William, with Admiral Digby, 
&c., likewise dined at the convent. 
The same day the governor ordered 
those soldiers’ wives and children who 
were not provided with twelve months’ 
provisions to prepare to leave the gar¬ 
rison with the fleet; 250 lbs. of flour, 
or 360 lbs. of biscuit, was stated as suf¬ 
ficient for one person. By this regu¬ 
lation many useless hands were sent 
home, which would have been a vast 
burthen on the garrison, circumstanced 
as we afterwards were. The evening 
of the 28th the Childers sailed for 
England with despatches from the ad¬ 
miral ; but meeting with a gale of 
wind at west, she was compelled to 
return, after losing her fore-yard and 
throwing four guns overboard. At 
night came in a deserter from the 
Walon guards. 

About noon, on the 29th, a large 
ship appeared from the westward: on 
doubling Cabrita Point she was dis¬ 
covered to be an enemy. Signals were 
instantly made for the Edgar and two 
frigates to attack her. In the mean 
time the Spaniard seemed greatly con¬ 
fused, but at last worked close in land, 
between two barbet batteries at the 
Point. Several broadsides were ex¬ 
changed between her and the Edgar, 
whilst the frigates attacked the batte¬ 
ries. They were, however, after some 
time recalled, the admiral being appre¬ 
hensive that they might sustain greater 
damage from the land than the object 
in action would excuse. The same 
day the second battalion of the 73rd 
regiment, or Lord M‘Leod’s High¬ 
landers, commanded by Lieutenant- 
Colonel George M‘Kenzie, disembarked 
from on board the fleet at the New 
Mole, and took possession of the case¬ 
mates in the King’s bastion, &c. This 





46 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. hi. 


regiment was intended for Minorca; 
but General Eliott thought proper, with 
the advice of the admirals, &c., to de¬ 
tain them. Their strength at this time 
was 30 officers, 6 staff officers, 50 Ser¬ 
jeants, 22 drummers, and 944 rank and 
file : an excellent reinforcement in our 
situation, since the scurvy had already 
begun to appear among us. Colonels 
Picton and Mawhood, with many other 
officers, joined their corps also by this 
fleet. On the night of the 29th, came 
in three more Walons. The Minorca 
convoy sailed on the 31st, under the 
Marlborough, Invincible, &c. The 
wind changing to the east in the even¬ 
ing, the Childers made another at¬ 
tempt to pass the Straits; which she 
effected, and carried home dispatches 
giving authentic accounts of the pre¬ 
ceding victory. 

Sir George, when he captured the 
Caracca fleet, judged that the cargoes 
of several would be useful to the gar¬ 
rison : he therefore brought with him 
what ships he thought would be ser¬ 
viceable, and landed their freights 
along with the supplies which govern¬ 
ment had sent out. A great number 
of guns of heavy metal, and some hun¬ 
dred barrels of powder, were also pur¬ 
chased from the Spanish prizes by the 
governor, notwithstanding he had re¬ 
ceived a large supply of the latter by 
the convoy. The artillery (whose con¬ 
stant practice it was to try the strength 
of powder on the batteries) afterwards 
compared the quality and strength of 
the British and Spanish powder, and 
found the former greatly superior. 

In the beginning of February, the 
wind from the S. W. blew a strong 
gale, which, from the foulness of the 
anchorage off Rosia Bay, &c., involved 
the fleet in great distress. Some of 
them were in very imminent danger of 
being forced upon the rocks, particu¬ 
larly one of the Spanish prizes, which, 
without doubt, would have experienced 
that fate, if seasonable assistance had 
not been sent her, and the wind had 
not abated. The 3rd, Admiral Barcelo 
again hoisted his flag and ensign, hav¬ 
ing secured his ships by a strong boom, 
and completed the battery on the land, 
which mounted 22 guns. Merlons Were 


also added to the fort on the island, 
which before was en barbet. 

Three deserters came in on the 5th: 
they were immediately sent on board 
the fleet, where the others had been 
ordered the preceding day, to take 
their passage for England. These men 
gave dismal accounts of the enemy’s 
sufferings in camp, where universal 
discontent prevailed on account of the 
great scarcity and dearness of provi¬ 
sions. We little doubted the truth of 
this intelligence: the neighbourhood 
of their camp, from our own knowledge 
of the country, was not capable of sub¬ 
sisting so large an army; consequently 
they were obliged to be supplied with 
provisions, &c. from places at a dis¬ 
tance, and these resources since Admiral 
Rodney’s arrival had been cut off. Our 
cruisers, in truth, not only obstructed 
these supplies, but also prevented the 
garrison of Ceuta from receiving the 
refreshments from Spain which their 
situation made necessary; and our in¬ 
telligence from Barbary mentioned that 
that garrison was in a similar, if not 
worse condition than their opposite 
friends. If Sir George, therefore, had 
continued some time longer in the 
Mediterranean, our enemies probably 
would have been reduced to greater 
difficulties than we ourselves had expe¬ 
rienced. 

As the fortress of Ceuta is in some 
degree connected with the subject of 
the present narrative, it may not be 
improper to relieve the reader’s atten¬ 
tion by a brief description of it. The 
town of Ceuta is situated on the coast 
of Barbary, about 15 miles to the south¬ 
ward of Gibraltar. Iu the oera of the 
Romans it was a town of some note, 
but on the decline of that empire fell, 
like others, to the dominion of the 
Goths and Moors. Ceuta remained in 
the possession of the latter till the year 
1414, when John I., King of Portugal, 
with a formidable force, surprised and 
took it. The Moors afterwards made 
many attempts to recover it, but in 
vain; and ever since, it has remained 
in the possession of the Christians. 
Upon the demise of Henry of Portu¬ 
gal, in 1578, that crown was seized 
upon by the Spaniards; Ceuta const*- 






1780.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


47 


quently became a Spanish garrison: 
and when the Portuguese revolted, un¬ 
der John, Duke of Braganza, in 1640, 
and again established themselves into a 
distinct kingdom, Ceuta did not, with 
the rest of the empire, return to its na¬ 
tural allegiance, but continued in the 
hands of the Spaniards, by whom it has 
been held ever since. 

Being a promontory projecting into 
the sea, the situation of Ceuta is not 
much different from that of Gibraltar. 
The town, which is built on the neck 
of land that joins it to the continent, 
is strongly fortified in the modern man¬ 
ner. The suburbs are at some distance, 
in order to be more out of reach of the 
shells, in case of an attack from the 
land; and they extend to the foot of a 
mountain, at the extremity of the pen¬ 
insula, on which are erected a watch- 
tower and castle, surrounded with a 
fortified wall, about a league in cir¬ 
cumference. The fortifications are kept 
in good repair by slaves, who are sen¬ 
tenced to this punishment from the 
different prisons in Spain; and a strong 
garrison is kept in the fortress, to pre¬ 
vent a surprise from the Moors, who, 
like the Spaniards with respect to Gib¬ 
raltar, have a watchful eye over it. 
The city is regularly furnished with 
provisions from the opposite ports in 
Spain; and being destitute of water, 
which was formerly conducted by an 
aqueduct from the neighbourhood, is 
supplied with that article from Este- 
pona, a small Spanish fishing - town 
about nine leagues to the eastward of 
Gibraltar. 

Another deserter came in on the 10th 
of February. The day following, the 
invalids and women embarked on board 
the fleet. By the 12th the supplies 
were all landed, and the rigging of the 
Spanish prizes being repaired, the fleet 
prepared to return. The same day a 
flag of truce brought over some English 
prisoners: one of them, the master of 


a merchantman, which had been taken 
in her voyage to the garrison, informed 
us that the boom at Algeziras was a 
twenty-two-inch cable-rope, buoyed up 
by casks, to prevent our sending fire¬ 
ships among their shipping. 

The Spanish admiral having regu¬ 
lated with Sir George Rodney every¬ 
thing concerning the exchange and re¬ 
lease of prisoners, was permitted on the 
13th to return upon his parole into 
Spain. He was conducted with part of 
his suite, in the governor’s carriage, to 
the Spanish lines, where he was re¬ 
ceived by his friends, and with them 
proceeded on to the camp. The suc¬ 
ceeding day, the remainder of the 
Spanish officers were taken by the For¬ 
tune sloop, and landed at the Orange- 
grove. Lieutenant Williams, of the 
navy (who, after taking possession of 
one of the Spanish prizes in the action 
off St. Mary’s, was obliged to run her 
ashore near Cadiz, and surrender him¬ 
self prisoner), returned with another 
officer, on board the sloop, to the garri¬ 
son. The liberal and polite behaviour 
of the navy and the governor to Don 
Langara and his countrymen made a 
sensible and lasting impression on their 
minds, and was confessedly of great 
advantage to the English prisoners in 
Spain; particularly to those taken in 
our neighbourhood, who ever after¬ 
wards were treated with great atten¬ 
tion and humanity. 

In the evening of the 13th, the Bri¬ 
tish fleet got under way, excepting the 
Edgar and the Panther ships of the 
line, the Enterprise and Porcupine fri¬ 
gates, w hich were left behind, as great 
part of their crews had been removed 
to man the prizes. The enemy, on their 
appearing in motion, immediately gave 
the alarm, which was communicated by 
signals from their towers along the 
coasts towards Cadiz. At dusk few of 
our ships were in sight from the upper 
part of the hill. 





48 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. IV. 


CHAPTER IV. 


The Spaniards renew the Blockade—Attempt to Burn our Shipping by Nine Fire-Ships, but 
miscarry—Gun Boats—Garrison again distressed—Enemy effectually cut off the Supplies 
from Barbarv—Break Ground in advance from their lines—Scurvy very prevalent—Greatly 
relieved by the use of Lemons—Mode of using this Vegetable Acid—Garrison obtain a few 
supplies from Minorca—Enemy retarded in their operations—Spirited action between the 
Enemy and an English Polacre—Garrison obliged to quit the Gardens on the neutral ground 
—Tangier—Speedwell Cutter arrives after a spirited.engagement—A Spy discovered—Mr. 
Logie, the British Consul in Barbary, expelled the Emperor’s dominions—Cruel treatment 
which he and the other British subjects experienced—Cause of this event—A Memorial 
from the Officers of the Garrison—Great distress of the Troops—The Kite cutter, Captain 
Trollop, arrives with intelligence that the British fleet is at the entrance of the Straits. 


The garrison might now be considered 
in a very perfect state of defence. The 
scurvy indeed had begun to affect 
many, and threatened to become more 
general; but we flattered ourselves 
that the enemy would give up their in¬ 
tention of starving us to a surrender, 
and, by relaxing in their vigilance at 
sea, might afford us an opportunity of 
receiving constant supplies of those 
articles most essential to health. Our 
stores and magazines were full; a re¬ 
inforcement had joined the garrison; 
and new spirits were infused into the 
troops, since they were convinced, from 
the powerful force sent to their relief, 
that they were not forgotten in the 
multiplicity of objects which necessarily 
engaged the attention of our friends at 
home. 

Admiral Duff having returned on 
board the fleet to England, the com¬ 
mand of the squadron that remained in 
the bay consequently devolved on 
Captain Eliott of the Edgar, who, on 
the 14th of February, hoisted his broad 
pendant as commodore. 

The 16th of the same month, Admiral 
Barcelo removed the boom at Algeziras, 
and warped out to his former anchor¬ 
age, immediately detaching his small 
craft to Cabrita Point, to intercept any 
ships that might attempt coming in. 
In the afternoon, the enemy executed 
two men in camp, who, it was ima¬ 


gined, had been retaken in attempting 
to desert: their bodies were not cut 
down until the 20th. This punishment 
seemed, however, to have little effect; 
for at night three others came in, 
having swum round Fort Barbara. The 
multitude of deserters from the Spanish 
lines during the whole of the siege, is 
one of the circumstances least capable 
of a satisfactory explanation. What 
could these unhappy men expect in a 
confined and blockaded garrison, and 
even at a time when they could not fail 
to be acquainted with the distress and 
difficulties under which we laboured ? 
The very act of escaping was attended 
with innumerable dangers; and, should 
the garrison afterwards fall into the 
hands of the enemy, they were certain 
to meet with the severest punishment. 
There is, however, a kind of heroism 
in the passions; disgust, or resentment, 
will prompt men to overlook dangers 
and difficulties, which, in the line of 
their duty, would be esteemed insur¬ 
mountable. 

A Venetian came in from the west, 
on the 21st; she spoke the British 
fleet all well to the west of Cape St. 
Vincent. The subsequent day, a Dutch 
prize, laden with flour, was sent in by 
the Maidstone privateer, which arrived 
herself on the 23rd. Several other 
vessels came in during the intermediate 
time to the 27th; when a Spanish 





1780.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


49 


squadron of four line-of-battle ships, 
two frigates, and a xebeque, joined 
Admiral Barcelo from the west, and 
again blocked up the port. From 
the patched and disorderly appearance 
of their sails and rigging, it was con¬ 
jectured that they were fitted up in 
haste, and solely for the duty of the 
blockade: it gave us however some 
uneasiness to find them again likely to 
adopt their former system. 

At daybreak, on the preceding day, 
we discovered a vessel at anchor off 
Waterport, which we fired upon, sup¬ 
posing her to be a Spaniard: she im¬ 
mediately sent her boat to Ragged 
Staff, and informed us that she was of 
Naples, and bound to London; that she 
had touched at Minorca, and had on 
board two English discharged soldiers, 
and two women passengers. The boat 
returned, and soon after went on shore 
at Fort St. Philip, where it remained 
about half an hour. In the evening 
the enemy fired a shot at the vessel; 
upon which she sent her boat a second 
time ashore: we answered the shot 
from Willis’s; nevertheless at night 
she went over unperceived to Alge- 
ziras. 

In the beginning of March, three 
regiments decamped from the enemy’s 
army, and took different routes. On 
the night of the 2nd, two Genoese 
sailors, who had formerly belonged to 
a privateer of the garrison, came over 
to us in a small boat from Algeziras. 
The following day a Spanish convoy 
under a commodore arrived in the bay, 
from the west. The governor, on the 
11th, ordered the garrison to be 
victualled monthly (bread excepted) 
in the following proportion: for a sol¬ 
dier, each first and third week, 1 lb. of 
pork, 2^ lbs. of salt fish, which had 
been purchased from the Newfound¬ 
land ship; 2 pints of peas; 1 lb. of 
flour; £ lb. of raisins; 1 lb. of rice; 
5 oz. of butter; l£ pint of oatmeal. 
Second and fourth week, 1 £ lb. of beef; 
2 lbs. of fish; 2 pints of peas; 1 lb. of 
rice ; 5 oz. of butter ; 1^ lb. of wheat; 
£ lb. of raisins. The salt cod being 
indifferent of its kind, and the soldiers 
not having proper vegetables to dress 
with it, proved very pernicious. This 


article continued to be delivered for 
near seven months; and undoubtedly, 
in a great degree, promoted that dread¬ 
ful disorder, the scurvy, which, before 
Sir George Rodney arrived, had made 
its appearance, and afterwards became 
very general and fatal. The governor, 
however, in this new distribution, con¬ 
sidered the hospital, whose proportion 
of salt meat was less, and more nourish¬ 
ing articles issued instead. 

Notwithstanding the repeated assur¬ 
ances from the Spaniards, that the 
English prisoners in our neighbour¬ 
hood should be exchanged for those 
taken with Admiral Langara, none 
were yet sent in agreeably to that 
admiral’s promise: Commodore Eliott 
was therefore under the necessity of 
making a formal demand, and to en¬ 
force it told them, if they did not com¬ 
ply, he should expect the Spanish ad¬ 
miral would return with the officers 
then upon their parole. This con¬ 
vinced them the commodore was no 
longer to be trifled with; accordingly, 
on the 12th, about 390 British seamen 
were received on board the Fortune 
sloop, and distributed amongst the 
men-of-war, whose crews, as I have 
mentioned before, were sent to man 
the Spanish prizes. The same day a 
Moorish sloop came in from Malaga, 
and brought intelligence that the enemy 
had fitted up several fire-ships in the 
bay. In the evening three of the 72nd 
absented themselves from their corps; 
search was made the succeeding day, 
and two of them were discovered asleep 
in a cave, behind the Sugar-Loaf Point. 
They had cut up their working-dresses 
into shreds, which were tied together 
to favour their descent down the rock; 
and it is imagined the following night 
they would have repeated their attempt 
to get off. One of these men was after¬ 
wards executed, but the other was par¬ 
doned. 

The Fly packet arrived the 14th, 
with an English mail. In the after¬ 
noon the Maidstone came in, with a 
settee prize, which the captain had cut 
out of Malaga road. A privateer, 
called the Alert, beat in from the west 
on the 15th, notwithstanding an east¬ 
erly wind. A prize following her was 

E 





50 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. rv. 


taken off Cabrita Point. The 17th, the 
enemy sent in 41 British seamen, who 
were distributed as before. 

The enemy at this time were not 
particularly employed. Some new ar¬ 
rangements were made in their artil¬ 
lery park; and in their camp they 
were busy, collecting brush-wood for 
fascines, which caused various conjec¬ 
tures in the garrison concerning their 
future operations. A salute and feu- 
de-joie were fired in their camp on the 
19th, supposed to be occasioned by the 
birth of a son to the princess of Astu¬ 
rias. The night of the 23rd, the Alert 
sailed with dispatches for England; 
and on the 29th we received from the 
enemy more English prisoners. In 
the course of the month the garrison 
lost four men by desertion. 

April was not remarkable for any 
events of moment. On the 2nd, the 
Porcupine frigate, Sir Charles Knowles, 
Bart., sailed to the eastward on a cruise. 
The 5th, arrived the Fly packet: she 
reported that a merchantman, bound to 
the garrison, had been obliged by a 
north wind, when she was almost ar¬ 
rived in the bay, to pass to the east¬ 
ward, and put into Tetuan, where she 
waited a favourable opportunity to re¬ 
new her attempt. The Fortune sloop, 
on the 6th, took over to the enemy 
300 Spaniards, who had been confined 
as prisoners for some time in our Navy 
hospital. She returned with nine Bri¬ 
tish, and two days after took over 280 
prisoners. The night of the 12th a 
sloop, with two settees, came in from 
Tangier : the former brought a packet 
from Mr. Logie : and the latter, cattle, 
and other acceptable articles. The 
following day we observed the enemy 
forming a bridge of pontons across 
the mouth of the river Guadaranque. 
At night, the Hyena frigate, Captain 
Thompson, arrived in thirteen days 
from England. She was chased by the 
enemy’s cruisers, and fired at, but re¬ 
ceived very little damage. The 20th, 
the Edgar, Commodore Eliott, and 
the Hyena, with a privateer, sailed to 
the west, notwithstanding the enemy’s 
superiority in the bay. Admiral Bar- 
celo seemed to suspect their intention; 
for instantly on their appearing under 


sail, he made a signal for his squadron 
to pursue. The Edgar and her consort 
were, however, out of sight before the 
Spaniards got abreast of Cabrita Point. 

Towards the conclusion of the month, 
the enemy were more active in their 
camp, and sometimes in the lines; to 
which place they brought down a great 
quantity of fascines. They were chiefly 
employed in raising the boyau, and 
making repairs, which were, however, 
so trifling, that our artillery did not 
disturb them. Besides the arrivals al¬ 
ready noted, we received supplies by 
two or three boats from the Barbary 
coast; and in the course of the month, 
three deserters came over from the 
enemy, one of whom swam to Land- 
port from Tesse’s battery, about half¬ 
way between Fort Philip and Point 
Mala. 

May was not less barren of interest¬ 
ing occurrences than the preceding 
month. Several deserters attempted 
to get in, but some were so unfortunate 
as to be overtaken by their pursuers. 
These wretches were generally exe¬ 
cuted the succeeding day, but the ex¬ 
ample did not deter others from simi¬ 
lar attempts. 

The 4th, the Fly returned with 
fowls, leather, and fruit. Two days 
following, the enemy’s army were un¬ 
der arms in two divisions, and per¬ 
formed a sham engagement. One di¬ 
vision took post on the eminence above 
the stone quarry, under the Queen of 
Spain’s Chair, and was attacked by the 
other from below. After a smart can¬ 
nonade, and brisk discharge of mus¬ 
ketry, the party above gave way; but 
the night prevented our observing the 
conclusion. The succeeding day, the 
Fortune received from a Spanish flag 
of truce 47 prisoners, very few of 
whom were British. At night small 
arms were discharged on the neutral 
ground, supposed to be at some desert¬ 
ers who were coming off. One Walon 
reached the barrier, and informed us 
that several of his comrades agreed to 
follow him. The 10th, two men were 
executed in the Spanish camp ; proba¬ 
bly, the same who were retaken. 

Another deserter, belonging to the 
regiment of Estremadura, came in on 




1780.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


51 


the 11th, and was remarkable for be¬ 
ing the first native of Spain who de¬ 
serted. The Spanish infantry in gene¬ 
ral is raised upon a local establishment. 
Each district is required, by an ancient 
law called the Quinta, to furnish a cer¬ 
tain proportion of troops; and the men 
are enrolled for about seven or eight 
years’ service, after which time they 
are permitted to return to their re¬ 
spective provinces; and as the Spa¬ 
niards are all strongly attached to their 
native spot, desertion is consequently 
less common with them than with any 
other troops. Most of the men who 
deserted to us, came from those regi¬ 
ments in their service which are com¬ 
posed of foreigners. 

A Swede was brought-to from Eu- 
ropa, the 15th, and obliged to come in. 
We were much disappointed in her 
lading, which was salt. We had a 
few days before received some supplies 
from Tangier; and on the 18th two 
boats arrived from Tetuan, with fowls 
and oil: the latter reported that the 
Fly packet, which had left us on the 
11th, was driven ashore on the Bar¬ 
bary coast by the enemy’s cruisers, 
who, after the crew had quitted her, 
took possession. We were much con¬ 
cerned at this intelligence; for the 
Fly was a fast sailer, and had been 
very fortunate in frequently passing in 
and out unobserved. The 20th, came 
in a Moorish sloop from Malaga, with 
butter, raisins, and leather: the latter 
article was much wanted; indeed, so 
scarce was it become in the garrison, 
that several officers, and most of the 
men, had been necessitated to wear 
shoes made of canvas, with soles of 
spun-yarn. 

A letter of marque arrived on the 
25th from Leghorn, with wine, oil, and 
other articles : a very valuable cargo 
to the garrison. On the 30th the ene¬ 
my’s army were again under arms. 
Their manoeuvres on that day were the 
attack and defence of a convoy. Their 
parties, as in the last month, continued 
arranging the ordnance in their artil¬ 
lery park, and bringing down to the 
lines materials for the repair of their 
works. Our artillery, however, took 
little notice of them. 


In the beginning of June we received 
some seasonable supplies by the arrival 
of three boats from Tetuan and one 
from Tangier. By the latter we had 
intelligence that the Fox packet, from 
Faro, and a sloop, were at that place 
waiting an opportunity to get in; and 
by this, or one of the former ves¬ 
sels, Mr. Logie gave information that 
the enemy had prepared several fire¬ 
ships to burn our shipping in the bay. 
Two months before, he had intimated 
to Commodore Eliott that the Spa¬ 
niards had five fire-ships in readiness 
for immediate use; and that they had 
once made an attempt to send them 
over, but the wind failed. Repeating 
the intelligence, therefore, at this time, 
was peculiarly fortunate, as the next 
night they attempted to put in exe¬ 
cution their design. The same day, a 
Spanish ship of the line sailed from 
Algeziras to the eastward. 

Our naval force at this period con¬ 
sisted of the Panther, of 60 guns, Cap¬ 
tain Harvey (who, since Commodore 
Eliott’s departure, commanded in the 
Mediterranean); the Enterprise fri¬ 
gate, Captain Lesley; two armed ves¬ 
sels commanded by lieutenants, with 
several armed ordnance transports, and 
other ships belonging to merchants. 
On the morning of the 7th, a little 
after midnight, the Enterprise, which 
was anchored to the northward off the 
New mole head, discovered several 
sail approaching her from the opposite 
side of the bay: they were hailed, but, 
before satisfactory answers could be 
received, several fireworks and inflam¬ 
mable substances were thrown on 
board, and six fire-ships suddenly ap¬ 
peared in the form of a crescent, bear¬ 
ing down upon her and the ordnance- 
ships in the New mole. Captain Les¬ 
ley, with immediate presence of mind, 
instantly fired three guns to alarm his 
friends, and, cutting his cable, drove 
closer in shore. The Panther and 
shipping, on the appearance of the 
enemy, immediately commenced a 
brisk cannonade to retard their pro¬ 
gress; and, manning their boats, the 
officers and seamen, with their usual 
intrepidity, grappled the ships; and, 
notwithstanding the fierceness of the 
E 2 




52 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. IV. 


flames, towed them, clear of our ves¬ 
sels, under the walls, where they were 
afterwards extinguished. Beside these 
six, which were intended for the New 
mole, three others were lighted and 
directed towards the Panther, at an¬ 
chor off Buena Vista; but one was 
towed off by the boats, and the other 
two were at so great a distance that 
they drove out to sea to the eastward. 

The garrison was as early alarmed 
as the navy. The drums beat to arms ; 
the guards were all upon their defence; 
and the pickets, with the different re¬ 
giments, assembled at their posts, and 
continued under arms till daybreak. 
The artillery from the batteries se¬ 
conded the fire from the ships; but 
the darkness of the night prevented 
any certain knowledge of the effect. 
The wind, which was favourable for 
their purpose in the beginning of the 
night, fortunately grew still when they 
were most in need of it. The largest 
of them, nevertheless, which was of the 
size of a large Indiaman, or 50-gun 
ship, would certainly have got into 
the New mole amongst the ordnance- 
transports, had not a few bar-shot, from 
a 32-pounder at the Mole head, turned 
her round, and then the current carried 
her into Rosia bay. 

The navy on this occasion cannot be 
too highly commended for their cou¬ 
rage, conduct, and alertness. Their 
intrepidity overcame every obstacle; 
and though three of the ships were 
linked with chains and strong cables, 
and every precaution was taken to ren¬ 
der them successful, yet, with uncom¬ 
mon resolution and activity, the British 
seamen separated the vessels, and towed 
them ashore with no other injury to 
themselves than a few burns and 
bruises. The design altogether, to do 
justice to the ingenuity of Don Barcelo, 
was well projected, and his squadron 
judiciously stationed at the entrance of 
the bay to intercept our men-of-war in 
case they had attempted to escape from 
the fire-ships. We afterwards were in¬ 
formed that Admiral Barcelo proposed 
to Don Alvarez to draw off our atten¬ 
tion from the southward by opening 
his land batteries on the town. With¬ 
out doubt such a proceeding would 


have diverted the attention of the gar¬ 
rison in some measure from the ship¬ 
ping ; but as the navy had the prin¬ 
cipal, nay, I may say, the sole honour 
of opposing the fire-ships, their endea¬ 
vours would not have been less strenu¬ 
ous, nor of course less successful. 

The hulls of the fire-ships were soon 
after broken up and sold to the inhabit¬ 
ants for fuel, and proved a most season¬ 
able relief. Firing was become a more 
important article than before, which 
may appear very extraordinary to the 
reader, when he looks back to the short 
time which had elapsed since the de¬ 
parture of Sir George Rodney’s fleet: 
but it is necessary to inform him that 
the colliers intended for the garrison 
were too late in coming round from 
the Downs to join at Spithead—Sir 
George Rodney therefore sailed with¬ 
out them. 

The morning of the 8th, arrived the 
Fox packet, and another vessel from 
Faro; and in the course of the 10th 
and 12th, four boats came in from Te- 
tuan and Tangier with various cargoes. 
The patrons reported it was current at 
Tangier that we killed 14 or 15 men 
in the attack of the fire-ships, and that 
the Spaniards had several more fire¬ 
ships ready in the bay, with which it 
was not improbable they might make a 
second attempt. Our navy were con¬ 
sequently very vigilant, and kept a 
good look-out. For some weeks past 
we had been remarkably successful in 
receiving these small and very accept¬ 
able supplies. Their cruisers, how¬ 
ever, now began to be more alert, and 
appeared to be stationed with better 
judgment. On the 15th, a boat was 
taken coming in, but her consort es¬ 
caped; and on the 20th, another ar¬ 
rived from Tangier, which brought 
intelligence that a large ship, with 
coals and butter, bound to the garrison, 
was captured by the Spaniards two 
days before under the guns of Tangier. 
The 24th, several broadsides were ex¬ 
changed between four of the enemy’s 
ships, passing to Algeziras, and our 
shipping and batteries at the south¬ 
ward. Some few shot came ashore, 
but no particular damage was re¬ 
ceived. The Enterprise had 18 sail- 








1780.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


53 


ors burnt by the explosion of some 
powder. 

Early on the 27th, four Spanish gun¬ 
boats, with a xebeque and two galleys, 
approached under cover of the night 
and fired upon the Panther. A brisk 
discharge was however returned, and 
they soon retired. One shot struck the 
south pavilion, and three were fired 
through the Panther. This mode of an¬ 
noyance the enemy afterwards greatly 
improved upon. These boats were 
strongly built, but ill finished: they 
had a small mast inclining forward 
from the centre of the boat, almost 
over the bow, upon which was hoisted 
a latine yard and sail, which, at an¬ 
chor, served as an awning to the men 
on board. They rowed astonishingly 
swift, and each carried a 26-pounder in 
the bow. We never had a good oppor¬ 
tunity of making any satisfactory ob¬ 
servations on them, but judged from 
their appearance that they were about 
70 feet long and 20 broad. 

In the beginning of July, the Pan¬ 
ther man-of-war receiving upwards of 
100 English prisoners from the enemy, 
Captain Harvey sailed for England. 
Some alterations and additions took 
place the same day in the garrison de¬ 
tail. The 4th, the Fortune brought 
over more British prisoners. We 
had received some supplies in the 
course of a few days by two Moorish 
boats, and they were followed on the 
11th of July by one from Tangier, 
which informed us of a fleet having 
been seen off that coast, and that two 
boats had been taken coming into the 
bay. The fleet here mentioned was 
the combined fleet of France and Spain, 
which soon after captured our out¬ 
ward-bound East and West India fleets, 
and carried the greater part of them 
into Cadiz : one of the heaviest blows 
which British commerce had ever 
sustained. 

The recent attempt of the enemy to 
burn the shipping and store-houses at 
the southward, added to the intelli¬ 
gence which the governor had received 
of the enemy’s fleet being off Cadiz, 
caused him to direct particular atten¬ 
tion towards that quarter of the garrison. 
Batteries for heavy metal were made 


on the rock above Parson’s Lodge, at 
Rosia; and directions were given for 
the New Mole to be cleared of shipping, 
that the ordnance might have more 
liberty to play. Other alterations also 
took place in that neighbourhood. 
Early on the morning of the 17tb, five 
gun-boats and four galleys fired upon 
the Enterprise and shipping in the New 
Mole. One of the frigate’s forecastle 
guns was dismounted, and her fore-stay 
cut: some shots came also on shore. 

During the remainder of the month, 
our firing, which had been continued 
at intervals, was brisker on their par¬ 
ties, who were principally employed in 
forming considerable depots of fascines, 
casks, and timber, in the lines, and in 
collecting brush-wood from the coun¬ 
try : they were likewise very busy in 
disembarking stores which had lately 
arrived. Several empty transport-ves¬ 
sels, in the course of this month, left 
the garrison for England. A man of 
the 58th regiment deserted to the 
enemy: one also came in from the 
lines. 

In August few incidents occurred on 
either side. Our provisions began to 
be bad, and extremely offensive. The 
few supplies we now received, were 
rather luxuries than substantial: wine, 
sugar, oil, honey, onions, and articles of 
the like kind, composed chiefly the 
cargoes of those craft which arrived. 
Sugar was risen to 2s. 6d. per pound, 
and everything else sold in proportion. 

About 10 in the forenoon of the 3rd, 
a settee, coming in from the west, was 
chased by the enemy, and taken into 
Algeziras. We imagined it was the 
Fox packet, which we then anxiously 
expected with an English mail; and 
our conjectures afterwards were con¬ 
firmed. The 10th, we observed the 
enemy laying a bridge of boats across 
the river Palmones. Two days fol¬ 
lowing, a brig was boarded almost 
under our guns, and conducted to Al¬ 
geziras. It was thought to be the same 
of which we had intelligence some 
time before, and which was laden with 
a variety of articles much wanted: her 
capture was therefore greatly lamented. 
The night of the 15th, six sailors de¬ 
serted in a boat from the New mole. 





54 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. IV. 


The succeeding day, the Fortune sloop 
received from the enemy 64 prisoners. 
Ensign Bradshaw, of the 56th regi¬ 
ment, and several who were passengers 
in the brig taken on the 12 th, were of 
the number. At night, five more 
sailors who were rowing guard, went 
over to the enemy. In the night of 
the 25 th, a Minorquin boat came in 
with wine, tea, and sugar, in eight 
days. The 27th and 29th, a soldier 
and four sailors deserted to the enemy. 
It was imagined the sailors forced 
with them the midshipman who com¬ 
manded the boat. Colonel Mawhood, 
of the 72nd regiment, died on the 29th. 

A small boat arrived from Barbary 
on the 30th, with information that the 
Moors permitted the Spaniards to cap¬ 
ture every English vessel which took 
refuge under the protection of their 
guns; that the Spaniards would not 
allow any boats to leave the bay of 
Tangier, and only waited for orders 
from Admiral Barcelo to burn and 
destroy what remained. This intel¬ 
ligence very sensibly affected us. To 
be cut off from what we had always 
considered our domestic market, was a 
stroke we little expected. We waited, 
however, more authentic proofs of this 
extraordinary conduct, before we could 
implicitly believe the defection of those 
whom during the present contest we 
had considered as our firm friends. 

September was as barren with respect 
to material incidents as the preceding 
months. The enemy finished their 
ponton bridge over the river Palmones 
on the 2nd. About a week afterwards, 
two soldiers of the 56th deserted. On 
the 23rd, a flag of truce brought over 
the midshipman carried off by the 
sailors who deserted the latter end of 
August. The 29th, a deserter came 
in, in the habit of a peasant: he spoke 
several languages fluently, and said he 
had been a serjeant in their service. 
Some suspicions arising, he was charged 
to remain with part of the 58th regi¬ 
ment at Windmill-hill. The follow¬ 
ing day we remarked, that the enemy’s 
guards in the lines, at the hour of 
relieving, amounted to about 300 in¬ 
fantry, and 70 artillery, besides ca¬ 
valry. 


The situation of the garrison by this 
time was again become very interest¬ 
ing. The blockade was, if possible, 
fuore strict and vigilant than before. 
Chains of small cruisers were stationed 
across the Straits, at the entrance of 
the bay, and on every side of the rock; 
and the late disagreeable intelligence 
from Tangier seemed now confirmed, 
by our never having heard from that 
quarter during the month. The little 
assistance we therefore received, came 
from Minorca; but the supplies from 
that place were so trifling, and sold at 
such enormous prices, that few were 
able to purchase them. We had not 
been favoured with a cargo of cattle for 
a long period, and the scurvy began to 
gain considerable ascendancy over the 
efforts of our surgeons. Our distresses, 
in short, promised to be more acute 
and fatal than those we had already 
experienced. 

The enemy’s operations on the land 
side had been for many months so 
unimportant, as scarcely to merit our 
attention. However, on the morning 
of the 1st of October, we observed they 
had raised an epaulment, about 600 
or 700 yards advanced from their lines. 
The preceding night, our out-guards 
had been alarmed with an unusual 
noise on the neutral ground, like that 
of men at work: several large fires 
also appeared, and some attempts were 
made to burn our advanced barriers 
with devils, and other combustibles, 
which were soon thrown off without 
taking effect; and notice was given to 
the Lines, Landport, and other guards. 
This alarm, however, was not general 
in the garrison. As the morning ad¬ 
vanced, the noise ceased; and we dis¬ 
covered that they had set fire to the 
fishermen’s huts in the gardens: but 
when the day permitted us to examine 
further, we observed the above-men¬ 
tioned work. 

The epaulment was about 30 yards 
in extent, of a simple construction, 
composed of chandeliers, fascines, and 
a few sand-bags; and was erected near 
the windmill or tower on the neu¬ 
tral ground, distant about 1100 yards 
from our grand battery. The enemy’s 
guns were elevated, and batteries man- 




1780.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


55 


ned; which, with other preparations 
in the lines, seemed to argue that they 
expected we should fire, and were de¬ 
termined to oppose it. These appear¬ 
ances, probably, induced the governor 
not to take any particular notice of 
their work in the day: but at night, 
orders were sent to throw a few light 
balls, to discover if they were making 
any addition. The inhabitants imme¬ 
diately took the alarm, upon being told 
that the enemy had thrown up an ad¬ 
vanced work, and that their batteries 
were manned; and at night very few 
remained at the north end of the town. 

It now seemed evident the enemy 
had determined on a more serious 
attack, in case the second blockade 
was unsuccessful: but we were at a loss 
to imagine what motives could influ¬ 
ence them to act so opposite to the 
established mode of approaching a be¬ 
sieged garrison, by erecting a work so 
distant, and which had no connexion 
with their established lines. 

The enemy’s batteries continued to 
be manned till the 2nd; and in the 
afternoon of that day, Don Alvarez, 
accompanied by an officer, supposed to 
be the Count d’Estaing, who was ex¬ 
pected in the Spanish camp when the 
last deserter came in, visited the lines. 
They remained three-quarters of an 
hour at Fort St. Barbara, viewing the 
rock with glasses. On their return 
they were saluted from Point Mala; 
and as they passed the front line of 
the camp, the regiments turned out 
without arms. On the night of the 
3rd, a smart engagement was heard off 
Cabrita Point, supposed to be between 
some vessel attempting to come in, and 
the enemy’s cruisers; and the next 
morning a sloop with English colours 
reversed was observed at Algeziras. 

Early on the 4th, our advanced 
guards discovered the enemy endea¬ 
vouring, a second time, to fix fire-fag- 
gots on our barriers. A smart dis¬ 
charge of musketry was immediately 
directed from these posts, and from the 
Queen’s lines; on which they retired. 
At daybreak we observed they had 
carried away vast quantities of vege¬ 
tables from the gardens, and trampled 
others under foot: but little, if any, ad¬ 


dition was made to the epaulment. A 
parley came in on the 5th; and soon 
after, the Fortune sloop received up¬ 
wards of 40 British prisoners, many of 
whom had been taken going from the 
garrison. In the evening of the 6th, 
the Spanish general came to the lines, 
at the head of the relieving guards. 
Soon after he arrived, the guns were 
again elevated, and every preparation 
made, as if they had resolved to open 
on the garrison. The 8th, the town- 
major, Captain Burke, went out with 
a parley, intending to proceed to the 
tower, the place appointed by custom 
for the officers to give and receive 
communications. When he got abreast 
of the new work, the sentries by mo¬ 
tions informed him he must not ad¬ 
vance. He pointed to the tower; but 
they continued inflexible : on his turn¬ 
ing round however to return, one of 
them came up with his arms, and pro¬ 
ceeded with him to the tower, whilst 
another ran to acquaint the officer in 
the lines. The messenger after some 
time came back, and both remained ap¬ 
parently as a guard over Major Burke, 
till the officer arrived; when, deliver¬ 
ing his packet, the major returned to 
the garrison. 

The enemy did not appear very 
anxious to complete the epaulment; 
their parties were employed in raising 
and finishing the merlons of the bat¬ 
teries in the lines, raising the merlons 
of Fort St. Philip with fascines, and 
erecting a new battery near the guard¬ 
house on the beach. The 11th, a small 
settee arrived from Minorca: the 
patron informing us that two others 
were standing for the rock, the navy- 
manned their boats to assist them, in 
case the enemy opposed their entrance; 
but on getting round Europa Point, no 
such vessels appeared. A Dutch con¬ 
voy was however passing: the boats 
therefore boldly advanced, and boarded 
a dogger which had got, during the 
fog, pretty near the rock. She was a 
Dane from Malaga, laden with lemons 
and oranges, which the governor im¬ 
mediately purchased, and distributed 
to the garrison. 

Few articles ever arrived more sea¬ 
sonably than this cargo of fruit. The 






56 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. IV. 


scurvy had made dreadful ravages in 
our hospitals, and more were daily con¬ 
fined: many, however, unwilling to 
yield to the first attacks, persevered in 
their duty to its more advanced stages. 
It was therefore not uncommon, at this 
period, to see men, who some months 
before were hale, and equal to any 
fatigue, supporting themselves to their 
posts upon crutches, and even with 
that assistance scarcely able to move 
along. The most fatal consequences, 
in short, to the garrison, were to be ap¬ 
prehended from this terrible disorder, 
when this Dane was happily directed 
to our relief. The lemons were im¬ 
mediately administered to the sick, who 
devoured them with the greatest avi¬ 
dity. The salutary effects were al¬ 
most instantaneous : in a few days, 
men who had been considered as irre¬ 
coverable, left their beds to congratu¬ 
late their comrades on the prospect of 
once more becoming useful to their 
country. 

Mr. Cairncross of the 73rd regiment, 
a surgeon of great eminence, who was 
present at this time and the remaining 
part of the siege, has favoured me with 
the following information relative to 
the scurvy, and the mode of using this 
vegetable acid; which, with his per¬ 
mission, I insert for the benefit of those 
who may hereafter be under similar 
circumstances:— 

“The scurvy which attacked the 
garrison of Gibraltar, differed in no 
respect from that disease usually con¬ 
tracted by sailors in long voyages ; and 
of which the immediate cause seemed 
to be the subsisting for a length of time 
upon salted provisions only, without a 
sufficient quantity of vegetables, or 
other acescent foods. The circum¬ 
stance related in the voyage of that 
celebrated circumnavigator, the late 
Lord Anson, of consolidated fractures 
disuniting, and the callosity of the bone 
being perfectly dissolved, occurred fre¬ 
quently in our hospitals: and old sores 
and wounds opened anew from the na¬ 
ture of the disorder. 

“ Various antiscorbutics were used 
without success, such as acid of vitriol, 
sour crout, extract of malt, essence of 
spruce, &c., but the only specific was 


fresh lemons and oranges, given libe¬ 
rally ; or when they could not be pro¬ 
cured, the preserved juice in such quan¬ 
tities, from one to four ounces per diem, 
as the patient could bear. Whilst the 
lemons were sound, from one to three 
were administered each day as circum¬ 
stances directed. The juice given to 
those in the most malignant state, was 
sometimes diluted with sugar, wine, or 
spirits; but the convalescents took it 
without dilution. Women and chil¬ 
dren were equally affected; nor were 
the officers exempted from this alarm¬ 
ing distemper. It became almost gene¬ 
ral at the commencement of the winter 
season, owing to the cold and mois¬ 
ture ; and in the beginning of spring, 
when vegetables were scarce. 

“ The juice was preserved by adding 
to 60 gallons of expressed liquor about 
five or ten gallons of brandy, which 
kept it in so wholesome a state, that se¬ 
veral casks were opened in good condi¬ 
tion at the close of the siege. The old 
juice was not however so speedily effi¬ 
cacious as the fruit, though by perse¬ 
vering longer in its use, it seldom 
failed.” 

The same day that the dogger was 
brought in, a parley came from Don 
Alvarez, to inform the governor that 
all intercourse or correspondence be¬ 
twixt them, in future, was to be con¬ 
ducted by flags of truce in the bay; 
which regulation continued till the 
peace was notified in 1783. The 14th, 
two gun-boats, from the Orange-grove, 
ranged along the front of the garrison, 
and drove in our fishing-boats ; and on 
the 16th they again ranged off the 
Mackerel bank, and forced our fisher¬ 
men to retire. We did not much ap¬ 
prove of this conduct, as the boats, by 
this means, were prevented from bring¬ 
ing any fish to our market. The 
enemy continued, however, this practice 
at intervals for some time. 

The 21st, the gun-boats fired upon 
the Enterprise and town. Captain 
Lesley, not choosing to remain the 
object of their fire, withdrew the fri¬ 
gate into the New mole; where the 
navy, under the direction of the en¬ 
gineers, had begun to lay a boom of 
masts from the New mole head to the 






1780.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


57 


watering-tank. This boom, though it 
was considered a difficult operation on 
account of the swell of the sea, was 
soon completed. 

It was not till the night of the 21st, 
that the enemy threw sand in the front 
' of their epaulment, to cover it against 
our fire-balls and carcasses; and on the 
26th they lengthened it to the west 
about 30 yards, and strengthened it in 
front with sand. The night of the 
28th they erected two large traverses in 
the rear for magazines. It now pre¬ 
sented a very compact appearance; 
whence we concluded that it was in¬ 
tended for a mortar battery. 

Though it was generally imagined 
in England that the garrison had been 
amply provided with every article and 
necessary of life, when Sir George 
Rodney arrived with the transports and 
relief from England, our wants, in 
reality, were far from being supplied. 
In the articles of ammunition and salt 
provisions, the garrison had probably 
as much as they required ; but of fresh 
provisions, wine, spirits, sugar, &c., we 
began to find a great scarcity; and the 
price of what remained was conse¬ 
quently much enhanced. The assist¬ 
ance we received formerly from Bar¬ 
bary had now been suspended for se¬ 
veral months; the enemy seemed de¬ 
termined to prevent our deriving sup¬ 
port from the element that almost sur¬ 
rounded us; and their cruisers were 
too numerous and vigilant to allow us 
to expect anything from the west. 
Thus situated, the garrison turned 
their eyes on the island of Minorca, 
whence we had already received some 
very acceptable supplies, and whose 
situation, from the great scope of sea 
room, afforded a flattering probability 
of the boats being oftener able to es¬ 
cape the enemy’s cruisers. The pro¬ 
ductions of that island are various ; 
and those articles which it did not 
afford, could be purchased from the 
prizes that were daily carried thither 
by the privateers. Several garrison 
boats were therefore sent to Minorca, 
some of which returned, in the course 
of October, laden with the wine of that 
island, sugar (an article become ex¬ 
ceedingly scarce), and cheese; with 


sometimes a few live-stock. These 
articles were all sold by auction, ac¬ 
cording to a regulation established by 
the governor; and, though they seldom 
were purchased by the lower ranks, 
yet afforded upon the whole a partial 
relief to the garrison. 

The 30th, we observed that the 
enemy had posted an officer’s guard in 
the Mill battery, which was the name 
we gave to the new work. Montague’s 
bastion was therefore opened on it in 
the evening, and, by forming a cross¬ 
fire with the batteries on the heights, 
considerably annoyed them, and much 
retarded their operations. The same 
night two soldiers of the 56th and 72nd 
deserted from Upper All’s-well, in file 
lines: they were sentries at the same 
post, and got down by means of a rope; 
but previous to their descent, had the 
precaution to wet the priming of their 
firelocks. We also lost another man by 
desertion in the course of the month. 

The governor, in the beginning of 
November, made an arrangement of 
the troops, that in case the enemy bom¬ 
barded the garrison, each regiment 
might know the quarters and stations 
which they were to take up. The 1st 
of the month was rather unpropitious 
to us: an English snow was taken to 
the east of the rock: at night a soldier 
of the 56th regiment deserted during a 
heavy shower of rain; and the follow¬ 
ing evening two others, of the 12th and 
56th, attempted to get off by swimming 
round the Old mole head; but a few 
days afterwards the body of the former 
was washed ashore near the King’s 
bastion; we therefore concluded his 
comrade had shared the same fate. In 
the evening of the 7th a smart cannon¬ 
ade was heard in the Straits: after it 
had continued for some time a sudden 
flash appeared, and a report was heard, 
like the blowing-up of powder. The 
next morning we observed that the 
enemy had captured an English vessel, 
and were at that time towing in a gun¬ 
boat, which accounted for the firing 
and explosion. 

Our fire, about the. 7th and 8th, be¬ 
came more animated; yet the enemy 
almost every night made some interior 
additions. We had observed for several 




53 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. IV. 


preceding mornings deep ruts in the 
sand, leading from the principal barrier 
to the Mill battery; which led us to 
imagine that they brought at night 
heavy timber and other materials from 
their depots in the lines. The artil¬ 
lery were therefore ordered to direct a 
ricochetting fire of small shells along 
this track. In the evening of the 10th 
a large party, followed by a number of 
carts and mules, laden with different 
materials, advanced along the beach 
from the sally-port of the ditch of Fort 
St. Philip to the Mill battery. They 
were perceived by the artillery at 
Willis’s before they had proceeded half¬ 
way; and a brisk fire was directed 
towards their route, which threw the 
mules into confusion, and obliged some 
to return, after having left their bur¬ 
thens on the beach. The batteries being 
reinforced, the firing was continued 
with great vivacity the whole night. 
The subsequent evening our artillery 
were prepared, and immediately on the 
party’s appearing, saluted them with a 
warm discharge of shot and shells, 
which seemed to have greater effect 
than the fire of the preceding evening. 
This circumstance convinced us of the 
effect of the ricochetting fire from the 
lower batteries, along the track from 
the barrier: but the enemy were not so 
soon driven from the new track as from 
the former; and continued, notwith¬ 
standing our fire (which must have 
killed and wounded many of them), to 
bring materials in this exposed manner 
till a line of communication was finished 
from the lines. 

An English armed polacre, called 
the Young Sabine, arrived on the 12th, 
after a spirited engagement in the bay 
with several armed vessels and three 
gun-boats. The enemy attempted to 
board her, but were as often repulsed 
by musketry: at length she beat them 
off, and anchored under our guns. Her 
cargo was cheese, hams, and potatoes; 
the latter of which sold at forty-three 
dollars per cwt., which, according to 
forty-two pence per dollar (the ex¬ 
change at that time), are equal to 
7 l. lt)s. 6d. sterling. Other articles sold 
in proportion. In the afternoon a 
Minorquin settee arrived with the usual 


cargo; a Spanish gun-boat boarded her 
on her passage; but the patron show¬ 
ing papers from Majorca to the camp, 
the Spaniard took no further notice 
than keeping her company as a convoy. 
The Minorquin afterwards seized a 
convenient opportunity, and slipped in. 

In the course of the 14th a Minor¬ 
quin tartan, bound for the garrison, was 
taken by the enemy; the crew however 
quitted her, and got ashore. The enemy 
the same day mounted twelve guns en 
barhet, in the battery near the guard¬ 
house, in the vicinity of Fort St. Philip, 
which we had supposed was intended 
for mortars; and about a week after¬ 
wards they erected merlons to this 
work, admitting the embrasures to open 
upon the garrison. This was called by 
the garrison the Black battery; and 
though the most distant work erected 
against Gibraltar, was found in the 
subsequent bombardment and siege to 
be one of the most annoying to the gar¬ 
rison, as its line of fire enfiladed the 
Town Line wall and main street, which 
were during the siege the principal 
communications with the northern part 
of the fortress. 

Two nights following, the gun-boats, 
which were now increased in number, 
fired upon the town and shipping. 
Three, that directed their fire on the 
former, were stationed off the Old mole 
head, and threw several shots into the 
town. Several men were wounded in 
the Enterprise frigate. 

The night of the 17th the enemy 
threw up two places d’armes for mus¬ 
ketry on the flanks of the Mill bat¬ 
tery ; the parapets formed semicircles 
joining the battery, but afterwards ex¬ 
tended in an oblique direction towards 
the lines. These additions appeared 
very slight, being only a row of casks 
or gabions, strengthened with half¬ 
chandeliers, and sand in front; covered 
on the top with sand-bags. The 18th 
we were visited again by the gun-boats; 
in returning their cannonade one of the 
thirty-two pounders ou the King’s bas¬ 
tion burst, killed an artilleryman on 
the spot, and wounded three others. 
The man who fired the gun escaped, 
but was a little scorched with the 
powder. 







1780.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


59 


A great number of mules were 
employed on the 22nd, bringing for¬ 
ward casks, chandeliers, and other ma¬ 
terials, from the camp. The night of 
the 23rd the enemy began an approach 
from the lines to the Mill battery: it 
consisted of fascines, with sand banked 
up in front, and commenced near the 
west angle of the western fourteen-gun 
battery, extending about 120 feet to¬ 
wards the advanced guard-house in 
front of Fort St. Philip; the following 
night, notwithstanding our fire, they 
lengthened it about 100 feet, with chan¬ 
deliers placed in a trench and filled 
with fascines. The enemy endea¬ 
voured to draw our attention from this 
quarter by another salute from the 
gun-boats, but in vain. As it was not 
improbable that the gun-boats were 
directed in their firing by the lights 
in the houses along the line-wall, 
and those looking towards the bay ; 
orders were issued “that no lights 
in future should appear in any house, 
barrack, or guard-house, towards the 
bay, after seven o’clock in the even¬ 
ing.” 

We had hitherto derived occasional 
assistance from the gardens on the neu¬ 
tral ground, though vast quantities of 
vegetables had been removed from 
thence by the enemy. On the 25th, 
however, they determined to expel our 
people altogether from the gardens; 
which in the course of a few days they 
accomplished, notwithstanding the 
marksmen under Lieutenant Burleigh 
were stationed at Willis’s, and in the 
lines, in order to prevent them. 

From this period, our resources in 
respect to vegetables depended entirely 
upon our own attention to cultivation; 
which, happily for the garrison, was 
crowned with tolerable success, espe¬ 
cially during the winter months, at 
which time the produce was increased 
to be almost equal to the consumption. 
The supplies from the gardens had in¬ 
deed begun to fail for some time be¬ 
fore, and we soon had little reason to 
regret their loss. We had, besides, 
the additional satisfaction of reflecting 
that the enemy were now cut off from 
a channel through which it was not 
improbable they had been informed of 


every occurrence which happened in 
the garrison. 

The 26th, a Frenchman, one of the 
crew of the Young Sabine, deserted in 
a boat to the enemy. The night of the 
27th, the Danish dogger, which brought 
us the cargo of lemons, sailed, and the 
next morning we observed her at an¬ 
chor off Algeziras. By the 29th, the 
enemy had finished the second branch 
of the line of approach, and begun the 
return for the third towards the west¬ 
ern beach. Our fire, as they advanced, 
became more spirited than ever, and 
must have been severely felt by the 
enemy in this exposed duty. The 30th 
was only distinguished by the arrival 
of a polacre from Algiers with soap, 
oil, wine, and candles—a very valuable 
cargo. 

December was introduced with bad 
weather. The 1st, arrived the Angli- 
cana privateer from Smyrna, and, two 
nights after, she continued her voyage 
towards England. Lieutenant Gage, 
of the Enterprise, went home passenger 
with dispatches. The 2nd was parti¬ 
cularly stormy, with thunder and 
lightning, which happily did not con¬ 
tinue long, or the works of the garrison 
might have materially suffered. The 
rain poured down with such violence 
from the heights, forcing with it vast 
quantities of rubbish, stones, and loose 
earth, that the streets leading from the 
hill were instantly choked up, and 
considerable damage was done to the 
buildings. The enemy, notwithstand¬ 
ing the storm, completed their third 
branch, and raised the return towards 
the east. Though the storm did not 
retard their finishing what they had 
begun in the evening, yet the chande¬ 
liers were very much sunk in many 
places, which employed their parties 
five or six of the following evenings to 
repair. They also made some alter¬ 
ations in the direction of the second 
branch, and repaired the batteries in the 
lines. A brig arrived from Leghorn 
on the ICth, also three settees from 
Minorca. 

From the 10th, the enemy added 
every night so considerably to the 
fourth branch of the approach, that on 
the 14th at night they joined the ex- 




60 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. IV. 


tremity of the eastern place d'armes; 
and two nights following, began a fifth 
branch, which on the 19th was ex¬ 
tended to the east flank of the Mill 
battery. Their operations had not 
been wholly confined to completing 
this line of communication; a mortar 
battery for the sea was erected to the 
north of Fort St. Barbara, and large 
and small traverses were raised within 
both forts to protect their men from our 
upper batteries. 

About noon on the 17th, a cannon¬ 
ade was heard towards the west. A 
cloud of smoke was observed near 
Tangier, and we afterwards learned 
that the Moors were firing a salute on 
account of the arrival of their emperor. 
Three hundred and ninety rounds were 
numbered, and it was repeated the next 
day. The reader will probably recol¬ 
lect that the garrison of Tangier is to 
us an object of some curiosity, as hav¬ 
ing formerly been in the possession of 
the English. It was ceded by the Por¬ 
tuguese (who had been masters of it 
for some time) to King Charles II. as 
part of the dowry of the Princess Ca¬ 
tharine of Portugal, and remained un¬ 
der the English dominion till 1684, 
when, the nation refusing to pay the 
heavy expense attending its mainte¬ 
nance against the repeated attacks of the 
Moors, the fortifications were blown 
up and the garrison ordered to aban¬ 
don the town. The Moors, after the 
place was deserted, returned, and 
it has ever since continued in their 
possession. When the English were 
masters of Tangier, the works on the 
land side were considered as almost 
impregnable ; and, for the accommoda¬ 
tion of shipping, a mole of consider¬ 
able extent was advanced into the sea. 

The present town is built at the bot¬ 
tom of a bay, on the side of a hill over¬ 
looking the sea. The Moors have, in 
some measure, repaired the moles, and 
endeavoured to restore the city to its 
former importance; but their efforts go 
slowly on towards accomplishing that 
work. Tangier was the residence of a 
British consul, and, in conjunction with 
Tetuan, in times of peace, supplies 
Gibraltar, Cadiz, Lisbon, and other 
ports on the coasts of Spain and Portu¬ 


gal with fowls, beef, mutton, and fruit. 
It was about this time the scene of 
some interesting transactions which 
will shortly be related. 

The enemy, on the 20th, began to 
erect small traverses in the rear of 
their approach. On the 21st, the 
Speedwell cutter, Lieutenant Gibson, 
arrived with government dispatches, 
after a warm engagement with the 
enemy off Ceuta, in which the Spa¬ 
niards attempted to board the cutter, 
but were repulsed. Lieutenant Gib¬ 
son was dangerously wounded in the 
action, which was the only casualty on 
board. The 23rd, arrived a privateer 
brig, called the Hannah, Captain Ven¬ 
ture, last from Lisbon. She brought 
some excellent supplies; and the day 
following, two other vessels from Li¬ 
verpool got in with variety of provi¬ 
sions. The cargoes of these ships 
were sold by auction for 300 per cent 
profit. 

It was about this period, some let¬ 
ters of a curious tenor were discovered 
in the possession of the deserter who 
came in on the 29th of September, in 
the dress of a peasant, and said he was 
a serjeant. They were directed to 
Colonel Nugent, of the Hibernian 
corps, in the Spanish service ; and the 
purport of them was—“ that Europa 
was the most eligible place to attack 
the garrison; acknowledging having 
received several sums of money, and 
concluding with expressing his fears 
lest he should be discovered; therefore 
desired the colonel would concert some 
measures for his escape.” The man 
was immediately ordered into close 
confinement, and remained a prisoner 
for some time, till, an opportunity offer¬ 
ing, he was sent away from the garri¬ 
son. We were afterwards informed 
by other deserters that he was sent in 
as a spy, and liberally rewarded for 
this hazardous service. 

The enemy, having completed their 
approach to the Mill battery, were 
employed in dressing the communica¬ 
tion and raising fascine traverses in 
the rear for their greater protection. 
The 26th and following nights, their 
carpenters braced with head-rails the 
chandeliers, which, owing to the late 




1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


61 


rains, had given way in several places. 
They were so very noisy in this duty 
as to induce a brisk fire from our bat¬ 
teries. The 30th, a settee, going from 
Algeziras to the eastward, was becalmed 
off Europa, and was boarded and 
brought in by our boats. Many pri¬ 
vate letters were found on board, which 
mentioned the considerable loss the 
enemy had sustained from our fire. 
There were also a quantity of clothes, 
and some money. The next day a 
settee got in from Minorca. 

Our carpenters, in the beginning of 
January, were very busy in erecting 
stages and temporary cranes in Camp 
and Rosia bays, and upon the Line 
wall, above the Navy yard; which led 
us to imagine that the governor had 
received intelligence by the Speedwell, 
that a convoy might soon be expected. 
The reason for erecting these machines 
so far to the south, and at such a dis¬ 
tance from the garrison store-houses, 
was the apprehension of being annoyed 
in disembarking the provisions at Rag¬ 
ged Staff, &c., from the enemy’s ad¬ 
vanced battery, which was now finished, 
and reported to mount eight 13-inch 
mortars. These precautions will ap¬ 
pear to be very prudent and essential, 
when the reader, on a farther perusal, 
is informed of the range and effect of 
the enemy’s fire. Some alterations 
were also made in the works at the 
New mole. 

The 11th, a Spanish flag of truce, 
with two Moorish galleys, came over 
from the Orange-grove, having on 
board Consul Logie, his lady, and all 
the British subjects who had been resi¬ 
dent in Barbary. We had long com¬ 
plained of a neglect in that quarter, 
but were now convinced, to our sorrow, 
that such accusations were premature 
and ungenerous. The mercenary and 
avaricious disposition of the emperor 
had been bribed by the Spanish minis¬ 
try with a present of 100,000 cobs 
(about 7500/. sterling), and a promise 
of the same sum annually, with the re¬ 
demption of 100 African prisoners, on 
condition that he should deliver up, for 
a certain period, the ports of Tangier 
and Tetuan, and banish from his do¬ 
minions the consul and subjects of 


Great Britain. Besides the present of 
money, and the redemption of 100 pri¬ 
soners, the emperor had permission to 
import from Spain grain, which was 
so remarkably scarce in Barbary, that 
a famine was apprehended. Without 
this circumstance to urge as a palliative 
for entering into a treaty with this 
avowed and natural enemy, the emperor 
would, probably, have found it a diffi¬ 
cult task to persuade his subjects to de¬ 
sert their old allies. 

As this defection of the Moorish mo¬ 
narch was of much importance to the 
garrison, and was in itself an object 
not undeserving political remark, I 
shall subjoin a short relation of some 
transactions previous to this event; with 
an account of the injurious treatment 
which Mr. Logie and the British sub¬ 
jects experienced before they quitted 
that country. 

I had formerly occasion to mention, 
that in the early part of 1779, overtures 
were made by the Spaniards to the 
Moors, to farm the ports of Tangier, 
Tetuan, and Larache. Of this General 
Eliott received immediate information, 
by a confidential message from the em¬ 
peror of Morocco. It did not appear 
that the emperor, in this instance, was 
actuated by any other impulse than 
friendship. But since, by refusing to 
accede to their offers, he might subject 
his coasts to be insulted, it would of 
consequence be prudent to arm his 
cruisers, in order to enable him to act 
on the defensive: he therefore re¬ 
quested that the English would supply 
him with naval stores for three new 
vessels which he had lately built, the 
value of which, on calculation, did not 
amount to fifteen hundred pounds. 

Such apparent disinterestedness, and 
so modest a demand, had a proper ef¬ 
fect with the governor, who, con¬ 
sidering the emperor’s alliance of the 
first consequence to the welfare of 
the garrison, recommended to go¬ 
vernment to double the quantity of 
stores, that they might secure his 
friendship. Ministers at home, how¬ 
ever, did not consider his alliance in 
the same light with the governor and 
consul, as Sir George Rodney arrived 
the January following without stores, 





62 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. IV. 


or as much as an answer: and the 
Spaniards (having then declared war) 
increasing in their proposals, the em¬ 
peror, after repeated applications to Mr. 
Logie, to know when he might expect 
the supplies he had given him to un¬ 
derstand were coming from England, 
at length, by degrees, permitted the 
Spaniards to capture all British vessels 
under the protection of his guns. The 
consul remonstrated against such pro¬ 
ceedings, but in vain: the answer ge¬ 
nerally received was, that the Spaniards 
had the emperor’s leave; and if they 
chose to take him from his own house, 
the emperor would not oppose them. 

These indignities Mr. Logie was ne¬ 
cessitated to overlook. He found the 
Spanish influence daily gaining ground: 
he had therefore no alternative, but 
tacitly to submit to the evils of his situ¬ 
ation. He contrived, nevertheless, to ac¬ 
quaint General Eliott with this change 
in their affairs. 

Though there appeared little pro¬ 
spect of doing further service to the gar¬ 
rison of Gibraltar by remaining in Bar¬ 
bary, Mr. Logie still continued to re¬ 
side at Tangier. The natives were 
partial to the English, and personally 
attached to him; and these circum¬ 
stances he imagined might probably be 
improved to some advantage. 

Thus matters pi’oceeded till the be¬ 
ginning of October, 1780, when a 
party of the emperor’s black troops, 
which were quartered in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of Tangier, came to Mr. 
Logie’s house, and, being introduced, 
informed him they had orders from 
their master to abuse and insult him in 
the grossest manner; which they im¬ 
mediately put in execution, by spitting 
in his face, seizing him by the collar, 
and threatening to stab him with their 
daggers. 

Two days after this transaction, Mr. 
Logie was ordered to attend the em¬ 
peror near Sallee. The 13th, he began 
his journey, guarded by one of the em¬ 
peror’s chamberlains, and a party of 
horse. They arrived at the camp on 
the 20th; and the same evening Mr. 
Logie was ordered into the emperor’s 
presence. After various questions re¬ 
lative to Gibraltar, to which such an¬ 


swers were given as were least likely 
to please, the emperor addressed him¬ 
self to his troops, and a great mob that 
were assembled on the occasion, saying, 
“ the English were an avaricious, 
proud, and headstrong people; they al¬ 
ways attacked the head: but when 
people came to beg, they ought to crawl 
up by the feet. He had however de¬ 
prived them of every benefit they for¬ 
merly derived from his countrycon¬ 
cluding with ordering the consul to be 
taken to Sallee. Mr. Logie objected to 
this mandate, informing the emperor 
he was ready to attend his camp; but 
that his sovereign’s service did not per¬ 
mit his trifling away his time in visit¬ 
ing towns. 

The emperor, after this interview, 
seemed to relax in his severity to the 
consul; allowing him to return to 
Tangier, and consoling him with the 
promise that the British subjects should 
not be molested by the Spaniards. The 
26th of October, Mr. Logie arrived at 
Tangier, and found the emperor had 
not deceived him. 

Affairs remained quiet till the 26th 
of November, when an order came to 
fit up all the British boats, at the em¬ 
peror’s expense, as he was determined 
to send the English away satisfied. The 
consul however anticipated his inten¬ 
tion, by getting them completed him¬ 
self by the succeeding evening. The 
night of the 28th, the Spaniards, in¬ 
formed of the emperor’s resolution, sent 
a party on shore to burn the boats. 
They were discovered by the guards, 
and confined; but in consideration of a 
sum of money, they were the next day 
liberated. Two days following, the 
consuls attended to hear the emperor’s 
orders, which were brought by two of 
his secretaries: they expressed, that 
the emperor had sold the port of Tan¬ 
gier to the king of Spain; in conse¬ 
quence of which, every Christian, ex¬ 
cept of that nation, was to quit the 
town and bay; awarding slavery as 
the punishment of those who remained 
after the 1st of January, 1781. 

Mr. Logie was no sooner acquainted 
with this order, than he departed for 
the emperor’s camp, then near Tetuan, 
in order to represent the impossibility 







1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


63 


of removing their property on so short 
a notice. He arrived on the 2nd of 
December, but could not procure an 
audience. The 4th, he had intelli¬ 
gence from Tangier, that a second 
order had compelled the British sub¬ 
jects instantly to remove to Marteen. 
Mr. Logie made several attempts to 
have this cruel order reversed, but in 
vain. He at length procured a friend 
to mention this delicate point to the 
emperor, who apparently relented, say¬ 
ing, the English should have permis¬ 
sion to remain twenty days to collect 
their effects; and so far flattered them, 
as to make them believe they were not 
to be removed till the British fleet ar¬ 
rived, if it might be expected soon. 
Mr. Logie was however afterwards con¬ 
vinced, that the emperor at this time 
was informed his orders had been exe¬ 
cuted, as the British subjects, amount¬ 
ing to 109, arrived at Marteen, a few 
miles from Tetuan, the subsequent 
evening; having been forced to aban¬ 
don their vessels, houses, and all their 
property; and compelled to submit to 
the greatest imposition, for the use of 
camels and mules, to remove their bed¬ 
ding and wearing-apparel. The value 
of the effects left behind, Mr. Logie 
computed to amount to upwards of 
sixty thousand pounds. 

The heavy expense attending their 
removal from Tangier, with their stay at 
Marteen, to their arrival at Gibraltar, 
Mr. Logie was obliged to disburse; the 
emperor’s order on the 26th of No¬ 
vember having so much imposed upon 
them, that they had laid out what 
money they were possessed of, in pur¬ 
chasing such articles as they judged 
would be useful at Gibraltar, imagin¬ 
ing they were to be conducted imme¬ 
diately to that garrison. 

The emperor removed on the 17th of 
December to Tangier; whence he 
usually sent, once or twice every week, 
some insulting message to the consul, 
charging the English with having 
cheated his ambassador, and being in¬ 
debted to him several thousand cobs 
for maintaining the garrison of Gib¬ 
raltar; with others equally false and 
abusive. 

Mr. Logie, on the 26th of December 


was informed that the emperor had 
given up all the British subjects as pri¬ 
soners to the Spaniards, and that the 
succeeding day they were to be re¬ 
moved to Algeziras. Being assured of 
the truth of this intelligence by one of 
the emperor’s servants, he burnt all his 
public papers, to prevent their falling 
into the enemy’s hands. The 28th, the 
consul embarked with Mrs. Logie (who 
had attended him through all these 
troubles), and about twenty more, on 
board a schooner, without being allowed 
time to take in any refreshment for 
their voyage. Others, under similar 
circumstances, were put on board other 
vessels. They were guarded by two 
Spanish cruisers, and for the first night 
put into Ceuta bay : the next morning 
they proceeded across the Straits, and 
about noon anchored off the Orange- 
grove, but soon after were ordered by 
Admiral Barcelo to moor at the en¬ 
trance of the river Palmones. Here 
the consul was detained till the 11th of 
January following, by which time an 
answer arrived from Madrid concern¬ 
ing their future destination. 

During this period, no offer was 
made to supply them with provisions 
( or necessaries, though the Moors were 
permitted to purchase whatever they 
wanted. Mr. Logie therefore applied 
to the French Charge d’Affaires at 
Algeziras, who very generously dis¬ 
patched such articles as he judged 
would be most acceptable. The 11th, 
they were conducted to Gibraltar. 

The removal, or rather expulsion, of 
the British subjects from Barbary, was 
attended with other unfortunate conse¬ 
quences besides depriving us of provi¬ 
sions : our connexion with Portugal 
became afterwards more precarious; 
and the governor was cut off from a 
source of information, by which he was 
acquainted with the enemy’s operations 
both in camp and at Cadiz. Mr. Logie 
had always contrived to procure pretty 
certain intelligence of the enemy’s mo¬ 
tions, by those Moors who were in his 
interest; for, the Spaniards allowing 
them to bring various articles to the 
army before Gibraltar, and the fleet at 
Cadiz, and Mr. Logie lending them 
money to carry on this advantageous 





64 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. iy. 


trade, they faithfully communicated to 
him whatever came to their know¬ 
ledge. The last information Mr. Logie 
himself was the bearer of to the go¬ 
vernor, which was, that the enemy had 
a great number of fire-ships in the 
rivers, ready for immediate use. 

The 16 th of January, a brig came 
in from Madeira, in four days, with 70 
butts of wine. The master had left 
London with a cargo to exchange at 
Madeira; but a violent gale of wind 
had driven him to sea with his cargo 
incomplete, and half his crew ashore. 
The same day, the Moorish vessels 
which brought over Consul Logie re¬ 
turned to Algeziras. Two days follow¬ 
ing, the Tartar privateer arrived with 
various articles from England: she 
brought his majesty’s manifesto for com¬ 
mencing hostilities against the Dutch. 

On the 19th, some experiments were 
made at Algeziras, from two new 
Spanish boats, with mortars on board. 
We had some time before learned that 
they were preparing such vessels, and 
that they intended soon to try them 
against the garrison. Their construc¬ 
tion was upon a plan similar to that of 
the gun-boats: the mortars were fixed 
in a solid bed of timber, in the centre 
of the boat; and the only apparent dis¬ 
tinction was, that they had long prows, 
and braced their yards more athwart 
the boat when they fired. 

The 21st, the serjeant commanding 
one of our out-guards deserted to the 
enemy: he went towards the Devil’s 
Tower, and once stopped, as if unde¬ 
termined to proceed or not. He be¬ 
longed to the 56th regiment, and left a 
wife and family behind: he had always 
been esteemed of good character, and 
was much confided in by his officers. 
Some pecuniary matters were supposed 
to be the reason of his deserting. This 
was the fourth man which we had lost 
in this way within the course of a 
month. The 28th, a ship arrived from 
Leghorn with various articles. In her 
passage she picked up at sea the long¬ 
boat of the Brilliant frigate, Captain 
Curtis, which we had been anxiously 
expecting for some time with dis¬ 
patches from England. On the 25th 
and 27th, three of Hardenberg’s bri¬ 


gade had deserted; and this day a rope 
was found near the signal-house, by 
which we imagined the last two of 
them had escaped. The 29th and 
30th, two or three settees arrived, from 
aloft, with the produce of Minorca. 
By them we were informed that the 
Brilliant was got safe into Mahon, hav¬ 
ing been chased through the straits 
by the enemy’s cruisers in the night. 

The enemy’s working parties had 
for several weeks been less numerous : 
their occupation was principally con¬ 
fined to repairing the damages done 
by the weather; securing themselves 
against the effects of our firing, by 
splinter-proofs and traverses; and col¬ 
lecting depots of different materials, in 
various parts of their lines. Their ad¬ 
vanced patroles frequently approached 
very near our out-posts, but seldom 
waited a second discharge from the 
sentries. On our side, the engineers 
were indefatigable in putting every¬ 
thing in the best state of defence. The 
enemy, it must be confessed, dealt 
openly in warning us, so long before¬ 
hand, of their intentions; and the go¬ 
vernor was exceedingly active and 
diligent in preparing against whatever 
circumstances might occur. 

The 1st of February we found, be¬ 
hind the rock, the bodies of two de¬ 
serters, who, in attempting to escape 
from the garrison, had been dashed to 
pieces. One of them was a man o*' the 
56th, who was missing the day preced¬ 
ing; the other a serjeant of the 73rd, 
who had deserted some months before. 

The 3rd, we observed the enemy’s 
artillery examining the ordnance in 
their lines. The morning of the 8th, 
a deserter from a Catalonian regiment 
came in, and reported that the ene¬ 
my posted every night a chain of sen¬ 
tries along the skirts of the governor’s 
meadow, which were constantly vi¬ 
sited by patroles of cavalry, to keep 
them alert; and that a captain’s guard, 
besides artillery, mounted in the St. 
Carlos’s battery, as they called the ad¬ 
vanced work. He said the camp was 
well supplied with provisions, &c., but 
that the men were sickly, and numbers 
of them deserted. 

It was about this period that the 





1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


65 


officers in Gibraltar presented a memo¬ 
rial, through the commanding officers 
of the different regiments, to the gover¬ 
nor, requesting his Excellency, as he 
must be convinced of the truth of the 
contents, to support it with his approba¬ 
tion and interest. 

The memorial stated, “ That the 
officers of his Majesty’s several regi¬ 
ments of foot, serving under his Excel¬ 
lency’s command, had been necessarily 
exposed to a great variety of inconve¬ 
niences since the commencement of the 
blockade, independent of the additional 
duties which they had been required to 
discharge: that in particular their pay, 
which constituted their chief, if not 
their sole support, had, at different 
times, suffered a great diminution by 
the exorbitant rate of exchange; ” 
which they stated to have fluctuated, 
during a certain period, between 40 
and 42 pence per dollar, Gibraltar cur¬ 
rency : “ that every article of clothing, 
and still more, those essential to life 
and health, were so advanced in price, 
that, with the strictest economy, their 
pay was totally inadequate to the ex¬ 
penses absolutely indispensable in their 
present situation : a situation which, 
they apprehended,precluded them, in a 
great measure, from participating with 
the officers at home in the extensive 
promotions which had of late taken 
place in the army. They therefore 
appealed to the paternal feelings, the 
justice, and the humanity of his Excel¬ 
lency ; trusting that through his recom¬ 
mendation and intercession, such assist¬ 
ance and protection might be granted 
them, as their situation and services 
deserved: ” concluding with a request, 
“ that his Excellency would be pleased 
to lay their prayer, with all humility 
on their part, at his Majesty’s feet.” 
This memorial was seconded by an¬ 
other of a similar import; but no offi¬ 
cial answer was received to either. 

It must be confessed, that under 
these circumstances, the situation of 
the officers was by no means flattering. 
Whatever obstacles might be in the way 
of their promotion, they could not help 
feeling the peculiar hardship of their 
situation : nor was the inactive and te¬ 
dious service of a blockaded garrison 


at all calculated to divert their minds, 
or to soothe them into an acquiescence 
with their fortune. They reflected, 
with no very agreeable sensations, upon 
the preferment which had been libe¬ 
rally bestowed upon young officers in 
England; while many subalterns in 
Gibraltar had ten or twelve years, or 
upwards, of strict duty and services to 
plead. Nay, the situation of some of 
them was peculiarly discouraging: for 
their friends had repeatedly offered to 
raise companies to secure their rank; 
but of such consequence was the safety 
of Gibraltar esteemed by the ministry, 
that orders were sent to forbid any 
officers leaving the garrison, unless re¬ 
placed by others from England. It is 
but justice to them, however, to observe, 
that they in general submitted to the 
evils of their situation without murmur 
or repining; and that, preferring their 
country’s good to every partial consi¬ 
deration, they never publicly testified 
their discontent, except in the two re¬ 
spectful memorials which they pre¬ 
sented to their governor. 

A privateer, on the 9th of February, 
arrived from Mahon : she ran through 
ten cruisers, besides six gun-boats, and 
was chased by a xebeque, but escaped 
them all. The 17th, she continued her 
course for England. Mr. Logie, who 
carried home dispatches was a pas¬ 
senger, with several others. The 19th 
and 20th, arrived two polacre ships 
from the eastward. 

Our supplies from the eastward were 
now pretty regular, and the boats and 
vessels in general very successful in 
their voyages. When the reader con¬ 
siders the variety of difficulties and 
dangers attending this intercourse, he 
cannot but admire the perseverance of 
these foreigners. Their vessels were 
generally of light burthen, and open, 
excepting a small scuttle abaft, which, 
with the other parts of the vessel, was 
usually filled with part of their cargo. 
Their passage was seldom performed 
in less than five days; and sometimes 
it exceeded ten, and fourteen. Their 
course was all the way along the ene¬ 
my’s coast: and even when arrived 
within sight of the port, the danger 
was greater than before, from the num- 

F 




66 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. IV. 


her and vigilance of the enemy’s crui¬ 
sers : the horrors of a Spanish gaol 
stared them in the face, with the chance 
of losing probably their all. One cir¬ 
cumstance indeed was in their favour; 
their vessels, in the rigging, resembled 
those of the enemy. To the chance of 
deceiving them they were nevertheless 
unwilling entirely to trust: it was their 
custom therefore to make the rock, if 
possible, about sunset; then strike sail, 
and lie-to, and at night push for the 
bay. By manoeuvring in this manner 
they frequently arrived safe; and in 
that case, it must be confessed, they 
were amply recompensed. 

The 26th, the regiments in garrison 
began to be reviewed: after the review, 
each regiment marched to its alarm- 
post, and discharged several rounds of 
parapet firing. The 28th, a brig under 
Genoese colours came over from Alge- 
ziras : the crew reported, they had in¬ 
jured their mast, and put into Alge- 
ziras for another, but that the Spa¬ 
niards had ill-treated them; they there¬ 
fore came over to remedy their loss. 
To this story the governor did not give 
implicit credit: a guard of a subaltern 
and twelve men was sent on board; 
and after being for some time detained, 
her cargo, which was fruit, was sold, 
and the vessel was sent away. 

The want of bread in the beginning 
of March began again to be severely 
felt: many families had not tasted any 
for several days. The poor soldiers, 
and still more the inhabitants, whose 
finances would not allow them to pur¬ 
chase articles from the Minorquin ves¬ 
sels (the cargoes of which, by the way, 
were chiefly luxuries), were in intoler¬ 
able distress. Biscuit-crumbs sold for 
10c?. and Is. per lb. The allowance of 
the troops was also curtailed, and many 
Portuguese fishermen left the garrison 
for want of this article. Towards the 
conclusion of the month, the invalids 
of the garrison embarked on board the 
Enterprise frigate, and St. Fermin 
armed ship. The 27th the former, with 
the Fortune sloop, sailed for Minorca ; 
and the St. Fermin was to have accom¬ 
panied them, but in getting out of the 
New mole some accident befel her, by 
which she was detained. In the course 


of the month several small craft arrived 
from Minorca: and we lost two men by 
desertion. 

The beginning of April the Spanish 
admiral called in all his cruisers, and 
some movements took place in their 
disposition, which seemed to indicate 
the expectation of a superior force. 
The 2nd we observed their artillery 
arranging the mortars in the Mill bat¬ 
tery, which confirmed us in the con¬ 
jecture.- The succeeding day a British 
cutter, called the Resolution, arrived 
with rum, coals, and sugar, in twenty- 
nine days, from Plymouth. The master 
informed us that he left a fleet, which 
was coming to our relief, at anchor in 
Torbay. Our joy at this news was 
greater, if possible, than when we were 
told of our former relief. The exigen¬ 
cies of the garrison since Admiral Rod¬ 
ney’s departure had been as severe, if not 
more so than before. Since the soldier, 
for himself, only received weekly 5£ lbs. 
of bread, 13 oz. of salt beef, 18 oz. of 
pork, both of them almost in a state of 
putrescence; 2 \ oz. of butter, which 
was little better than rancid congealed 
oil; 12 oz. of raisins, J a pint of peas, 

1 pint of Spanish beans, 1 pint of wheat, 
which they ground into flour for pud¬ 
dings ; 4 oz. of rice, and £ of a pint of 
oil: what then must be the sufferings 
of those who had a family of small 
children to support out of this pittance ! 
or what must be the distress of the in¬ 
habitants, who had no assistance from 
the stores! 

The night of the 3rd the St. Fermin, 
with the Brilliant’s tender, which had 
been forced by a gale of wind to put 
into Gibraltar, sailed for Mahon; two 
xebeques immediately gave chase, and, 
we afterwards learned, captured the 
former. 

It being observed that the enemy had 
stationed at Cabrita Point (though at 
some distance from the land) a sloop 
and two light brigs, supposed to be fire¬ 
ships, the captains of the privateers in 
the bay proposed cutting out the sloop, 
and burning the other vessels. The 
plan was mentioned to the governor by 
an officer of the garrison, who had per¬ 
mission to take with him a party of 
volunteers from the different corps, and 





1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


67 


join in the expedition. About eleven 
o’clock on the night of the 4th they 
proceeded in four boats. When they 
set out the night was very favourable 
for the enterprise; but before they 
reached the vessels the moon suddenly 
.shone forth, and they reluctantly re¬ 
turned. Whether the Spaniards dis¬ 
covered the boats or not, is a matter of 
doubt; it is probable they did, as the 
next morning four gun-boats joined 
them from Algeziras, and the sloop re¬ 
moved farther to the southward. 

The enemy, on the 5th, scaled several 
of their ordnance in the batteries round 
the bay; two frigates were also placed 
in front of eight vessels, supposed to be 
fire-ships: these motions convinced us 
that the enemy were aware of the fleet 
which was expected. The evening of 
the 7th the Eagle privateer, of fourteen 

S ms, arrived in fourteen days from 
lasgow: a xebeque, a sloop of four¬ 
teen guns, a galliot, and eleven gun¬ 
boats, engaged her in the bay; but by 


warm fighting and good seamanship 
she escaped. The captain informed us 
that the fleet had sailed, and he was 
much surprised in not finding them 
arrived. The following day the Spanish 
general visited the lines and advanced 
works. The 9th only two xebeques and 
the gun-boats were at Algeziras, the 
rest of their cruisers having left the 
station. The 11th a felucca came round 
Cabrita with oars and with a press of sail: 
immediately upon entering the bay she 
made a signal, which was answered at 
Algeziras by an English ensign at the 
main-top-gallant mast-head. Soon after 
a boat went over to Ceuta, and the 
xebeque which was stationed at the 
point was called in with the gun-boats. 
In the evening many signals were made 
from the west; and about midnight 
arrived the Kite cutter, Captain Trol¬ 
lop, with the joyful news that the con¬ 
voy was at the entrance of the Straits, 
under charge of Admiral Darby, with 
the British grand fleet. 





68 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. 


CHAPTER Y. 


Admiral Darby relieves Gibraltar—Spaniards bombard the town—Soldiers guilty of irre* 
gularities—Town frequently on fire, and greatly injured—Gun and mortar boats very 
troublesome to the Navy—Admiral Darby returns to England—Captain Curtis arrives 
with a convoy of victuallers—Town in ruins—Gun-boats renew their attacks on the Gar¬ 
rison: fatal effects—Inhabitants much alarmed by their attacks—One of the Enemy’s 
magazines blown up—General Eliott adopts a mode of annoying the enemy’s camp, and 
constructs Prames to oppose the gun-boats—Bombardment abates—The Helena sloop-of- 
war arrives, after a warm action with the enemy—Singular system of firing, from the 
enemy—Melancholy fate of a matross—Enemy make additions to their works—Firing 
increases on both sides—Death of Major Burke—Gallant behaviour of a working party— 
A conspiracy discovered in the Navy—Enemy, by their operations, demonstrate their in¬ 
tention of besieging the Garrison in form—Ineffectual attempt to destroy their batteries— 
Several cutters taken—Enemy finish their batteries—General Eliott projects a sally, which 
proves successful. 


At daybreak, on the 12th of April, 
the much-expected fleet, under the 
command of Admiral Darby, was in 
sight from our signal-house, but was 
not discernible from below, being ob¬ 
scured by a thick mist in the Gut. As 
the sun, however, became more power¬ 
ful, the fog gradually rose, like the 
curtain of a vast theatre, discovering to 
the anxious garrison one of the most 
beautiful and pleasing scenes it is pos¬ 
sible to conceive. The convoy, con¬ 
sisting of near a hundred vessels, were 
in a compact body, led by several men- 
of-war: their sails just enough filled 
for steerage, whilst the majority of the 
line-of-battle ships lay-to under the 
Barbara shore, having orders not to 
enter the bay lest the enemy should 
molest them with their fire-ships. The 
ecstasies of the inhabitants at this grand 
and exhilarating sight are not to be de¬ 
scribed. Their expressions of joy far 
exceeded their former exultations. But, 
alas! they little dreamed of the tre¬ 
mendous blow that impended, which 
was to annihilate their property, and 
reduce many of them to indigence and 
beggary. 

As the convoy approached the bay, 
15 gun-boats advanced from Algeziras, 
and forming in regular order under 
the batteries at Cabrita Point, began a 


smart cannonade on the nearest ships, 
seconded by the gun and mortar bat¬ 
teries on the land. A line-of-battle 
ship and two frigates, however, soon 
obliged them to a precipitate retreat; 
and, continuing to pursue them, the 
crews of several deserted their boats, 
and took refuge amongst the rocks. 
Had our ships advanced at this critical 
juncture and manned their boats, the 
whole might probably have been de¬ 
stroyed, and the garrison by that means 
been rid of those disagreeable visitors 
which afterwards so harassed and an¬ 
noyed us; but the frigates, having dis¬ 
persed them, thought no more of the 
bum-boats, as some naval officers con¬ 
temptuously called them, and left them 
to be repossessed by the fugitives. 

The enemy, on the land side, were 
far from being idle spectators of this 
relief. On the first intimation of Ad¬ 
miral Darby’s approach, preparations, 
it is imagined, were made in the lines, 
and a reinforcement of artillery ordered 
down from the camp; as at daybreak, 
before the fleet was well in sight, we 
remarked that their cannon were ele¬ 
vated, and the spunges and rammers 
reared against the merlons. These, 
with other appearances, indicated an 
intention of opening on the garrison. 

Our private letters had, fcr some 





1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


69 


time before, mentioned that the Spa¬ 
niards proposed to bombard Gibraltar, 
if the garrison was a second time 
relieved; but the truth of this intelli¬ 
gence was doubted, it being conceived 
that no beneficial consequences could 
arise to them from such a cruel pro¬ 
ceeding. We, however, overlooked the 
predominant characteristic of the na¬ 
tion, which, particularly in this in¬ 
stance, seems to have influenced them 
more than any other motive, and even to 
have carried them beyond that line of 
prudence and caution, which in military 
affairs ought to be strictly attended to. 

About three-quarters past ten o’clock, 
the van of the convoy came to an 
anchor off the New mole and Rosia 
bay; and, as if this were the signal for 
the enemy to open, a smart fire imme¬ 
diately commenced from Fort St. 
Philip, followed by all the batteries 
which bore upon the garrison. The 
number of ordnance bearing on the 
place was as follows :—The King's, or 
Black battery (mounting 14 guns), 12 
bearing on the garrison; Fort St. 
Philip (27 guns), 11 bearing on the 
garrison; Infanta’s battery, of 7 guns; 
Prince’s and Princess’s batteries, of 14 
guns each; Fort St. Barbara (23 guns), 
6 bearing on the garrison; these, with 
about 50 mortars, distributed along 
their lines, and in St. Carlos’s battery, 
amount to 114 pieces of artillery; all 
of heavy metal, being twenty-six 
pounders, and thirteen-inch mortars. 

The enemy’s cannonade was instantly 
returned from the garrison; but our 
artillery had orders to disregard their 
lines, and notice only the St. Carlos’s 
battery, which consequently soon 
slackened its fire. The miserable and 
terrified inhabitants, who just before 
were congratulating each other on the 
arrival of the fleet, now changed their 
exultation to sorrow, and flocked, old 
and young, men, women, and children, 
in the greatest confusion, to the south¬ 
ward, leaving their property, unse¬ 
cured, to the mercy of the soldiers. 
The shells from the St. Carlos’s battery 
were directed towards the New mole; 
the convoy, however, had been warned 
not to anchor within the range of their 
fire; the shipping, therefore, were not 


in the least molested. A settee was 
sunk near the watering-tank, and num¬ 
bers of shells fell on the Red sands, and 
in the neighbourhood of Southport, 
which added no little to the alarm of 
the fugitives from town. The enemy’s 
other batteries were chiefly directed to 
Willis’s, the lines, and particularly the 
ground upon which the troops were 
intended to have been encamped. Be¬ 
tween one and two o’clock their firing 
abated, and in a short time ceased. 
Of this favourable cessation the inha¬ 
bitants availed themselves, to secure 
such valuable property as could be ex¬ 
peditiously removed; but the heavier 
articles, which the avaricious and hard¬ 
hearted hucksters had kept concealed 
in their stores, to bring forth in small 
quantities when the prices suited, were 
all destroyed in the course of the bom¬ 
bardment. 

About five o’clock, the batteries of 
the enemy again opened, and the firing 
continued, without intermission, the 
remainder of the day and the succeed¬ 
ing night. It did not, however, in¬ 
terrupt the disembarkation of the sup¬ 
plies. Five hundred men, with a pro¬ 
portion of officers, were ordered for 
that duty; they were afterwards con¬ 
siderably augmented, and such was the 
labour and diligence of the garrison, 
that the stores were landed, with the 
assistance of the navy, in nine or ten 
days. Our casualties, on the 12th, were 
but few; Lieutenant Boag, of the artil¬ 
lery, was wounded, also several non¬ 
commissioned officers and privates. 

The bombardment was continued the 
13th, and several soldiers were killed 
and wounded in their quarters. In the 
course of the day, 150 men were or¬ 
dered to remove ammunition to the 
magazines on the hill, and an additional 
number to join the party employed in 
landing the supplies. The 14th, the 
gun and mortar boats fired upon the 
shipping, but were soon obliged to 
retire. Several barges attended, having 
officers in them, who seemed to give 
directions how to point their cannon 
Our batteries ceased firing this day, 
but the enemy’s ordnance were kept 
going with great vivacity. They ap¬ 
peared to have got the exact range of 





70 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. V. 


the heights; even the Royal battery 
did not escape their shells. Ensign 
Martin of the 39th regiment was 
slightly wounded with splinters of 
stones. No arrangement for placing 
the troops under shelter was yet known; 
and the former distribution, given out 
in November, was totally overthrown 
by the extensive range of the enemy's 
fire. Officers, however, whose quarters 
were damaged, received marquees from 
the public stores, to encamp at the 
southward; and the distressed inhabit¬ 
ants were accommodated with tents. 

It being remarked that the enemy’s 
fire considerably abated about noon, 
the governor ordered the town-guards 
to assemble at twelve o’clock; by 
which regulation less danger was ap¬ 
prehended in relieving the men on 
duty. The night pickets were like¬ 
wise ordered to occupy the casemates 
under the Grand battery, that they 
might be at hand to reinforce the 
northern guards, in case of alarm. 
The total strength of the pickets, at 
this period, was 2 captains, 9 subal¬ 
terns, 9 serjeants, 9 drummers, and 
391 rank and file. The cause of the 
cessation in the enemy’s fire at noon, 
arose from a custom, pretty general in 
Spain, and common, I believe, in most 
warm climates, that of indulging them¬ 
selves with a meridian nap. This 
luxury the Spaniards could not refuse 
themselves, even in war; and it was 
invariably attended to during their 
future operations against Gibraltar.* 

Vice-Admiral Darby with the ships 
of war continued cruising in sight of 
the rock: the service however re¬ 
quiring dispatch in landing the sup¬ 
plies, he detached Rear-Admiral Sir 
John Lockart Ross to superintend that 
duty in the bay; and the garrison 
fatigue party was augmented to up¬ 
wards of a thousand men, besides 

* This will not appear so extraordinary 
when the reader is informed that, during the 
insurrection of Madrid, in 1766, the insur¬ 
gents, as mentioned by Major Dalrymple, in 
his “ Travels through Spain,” regularly in¬ 
dulged themselves with their siesta, and then 
returned to their different places of rendez¬ 
vous. Their antagonists did the same ; so that 
there seemed to be a sleepy convention, for a 
few hours, every day, between the govern¬ 
ment and the mob. 


officers. The evening of the 14th the 
enemy’s shells were very profusely dis¬ 
tributed : some that did not burst we 
examined, and on drawing the fuse, 
found inflammable matter mixed with 
the powder: these combustibles set fire 
to a wine-house in the green-market, 
near the Spanish church, and before the 
fire could be extinguished, four or five 
houses were burnt to the ground. De¬ 
tachments from the regiments and 
guards in town were immediately or¬ 
dered to quench the flames; but the 
enemy’s cannonade became so brisk, 
that great confusion ensued. From 
this moment we may date the com¬ 
mencement of the irregularities into 
which, through resentment and intoxi¬ 
cation, the soldiers were betrayed. 
Some died of immediate intoxication, 
and several were with difficulty re¬ 
covered, by oils and tobacco water, 
from a dangerous state of ebriety. 

Though riot and violence are most 
contrary to that spirit of regular dis¬ 
cipline which should always prevail in 
military affairs, something may yet be 
urged in extenuation of the conduct of 
the troops, which has been so much 
the subject of reprehension amongst 
the people interested. The extreme 
distress to which the soldiers had been 
reduced by the mercenary conduct of 
the hucksters and liquor-dealers, in 
hoarding, or rather concealing their 
stocks, to enhance the price of what 
was exposed for sale, raised amongst 
the troops (when they discovered the 
great quantities of various articles in 
the private stores) a spirit of revenge. 
The first and second days they con¬ 
ducted themselves with great pro¬ 
priety; but on the eve of the third 
day, their discipline was overpowered 
by their inebriation, and from that in¬ 
stant, regardless of punishment, or the 
entreaties of their officers, they were 
guilty of many and great excesses. 
The enemy’s shells soon forced open 
the secret recesses of the merchants, 
and the soldiers instantly availed them¬ 
selves of the opportunity to seize upon 
the liquors, which they conveyed to 
haunts of their own. Here, in parties, 
they barricaded their quarters against 
all opposers, and, insensible of their 





1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


71 


danger, regaled themselves with the 
spoils. Several skirmishes occurred 
amongst them, which, if not seasonably 
put a stop to by the interference of 
officers, might have ended in serious 
consequences. 

It did not appear through all their 
intemperance that these irregularities 
arose from any cause so much as a 
spirit of revenge against the merchants. 
A great quantity of liquor, &c., was 
wantonly destroyed; and, in some 
cases, incredible profusion prevailed. 
Among other instances of caprice and 
extravagance, I recollect seeing a party 
of soldiers roast a pig by a fire made of 
cinnamon. The offenders were at first 
confined and reprimanded, which the 
governor judged would have a greater 
effect than punishment; but on their 
relapsing a second time into the like 
disorders, he was convinced his lenity 
was disregarded, and he was therefore 
compelled to use more rigorous mea¬ 
sures. 

I have thought proper to digress a 
little upon this subject, not in justifica¬ 
tion of the soldiers, but to acquaint the 
world with the truth, as some who 
have related the occurrences of this 
period to their friends, have omitted 
doing the garrison the justice to annex 
the account of their former hardships. 
Besides, had the troops been in the 
highest degree abstemious, the enemy’s 
fire would soon have destroyed what 
was only the sooner consumed by their 
extravagance ; for the inhabitants were 
too much alarmed for the safety of their 
own persons, to attend to the security 
of their effects. 

I forgot to mention in its place that, 
previous to the bombardment, orders 
had been given for removing the sick 
in town, when the firing commenced: 
on the 13th, therefore, the men were 
conveyed to the naval hospital at the 
southward. 

The 15th the bombardment was con¬ 
tinued with greater vivacity. Not con¬ 
tent with discharging their ordnance 
regularly, they saluted us almost every 
instant with a volley of eight or ten 
cannon, besides mortars. Our batteries 
remained silent, and the guns at Willis’s 
were drawn behind the merlons, to 


secure them against the enemy’s shot. 
It was observed they directed a great 
number of shells towards the Working 
parade, and about the Victualling-office. 
In the morning the gun-boats again 
attacked the ships of war and trans¬ 
ports, and the navy returned a smart 
fire. About noon, Lieut. Budworth of 
the 72nd regiment, and Surgeon Ches- 
holme of the 56th, were wounded by 
a splinter of a shell at the door of a 
northern casemate in the King’s bastion. 
The former was dangerously scalped, 
and the latter had one foot taken off, and 
the other leg broken, besides a wound in 
the knee. The troops in town, in the 
afternoon began to encamp at the south¬ 
ward, and to be regularly distributed 
amongst the casemates in town. The 
following was the arrangement. To 
the Hanoverians were allotted the 
bomb-proofs under the grand battery, 
occupied by the pickets, which in con¬ 
sequence removed to Landport gate¬ 
way and Prince of Hesse’s casemate. 
The 12th, 39th, and 56th regiments 
were ordered to possess Montague’s 
casemate with the Galley-house and 
Waterport gateway: those who could 
not be accommodated in these quarters, 
encamped above the South barracks 
and Navy hospital, on the declivity of 
the hill: the 72nd regiment totally 
withdrew into the King’s bastion, and 
the 58th and 73rd regiments remained 
in the South barracks: the artillery 
and engineers were disposed of on the 
same plan. Several days elapsed before 
the troops were properly settled. The 
ground on which they encamped was 
very steep and rugged: it was neces¬ 
sary therefore to level it into terraces, 
for the men to pitch their tents. The 
regimental stores were also to be re¬ 
moved, and other duties of a similar 
nature executed, before the troops could 
be considered as properly established. 

The gun-boats attacked the shipping 
on the 16th, and endeavoured to molest 
the parties employed in landing the 
provisions; but a line-of-battle ship 
and two frigates soon obliged them to 
retire. In the course of the day the 
women and children who had taken 
refuge with their husbands and friends 
in the casemates in town, were ordered 





HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. V. 


72 


to remove and encamp at the south¬ 
ward. Though this order, from mo¬ 
tives of humanity, was not strictly en¬ 
forced, yet it greatly relieved the men, 
and in a measure removed our appre¬ 
hensions of some infectious disorder 
being generated from their crowded 
and confined situation in the bomb¬ 
proof casemates. The officers were 
under the necessity of participating 
with the men in these unpleasant ac¬ 
commodations : their presence, how¬ 
ever, produced this beneficial conse¬ 
quence, that they often prevented the 
men from indulging in those excesses, 
into which otherwise they undoubtedly 
would have entered. The same day 
the Queens lines, Main, New mole, 
and Rosia guards, were ordered to be 
captain’s guards. 

The enemy on the 17th first reached 
the rock gun with shot from the seven- 
gun battery. Colonels Ross, Green, 
and Picton were appointed the same 
day to rank as brigadiers; and Captain 
Wilson of the 72nd regiment, Lieute¬ 
nant Holloway of the engineers, and 
Captain Picton of the 12th regiment, 
were appointed their brigade-majors. 
Two field-officers, with a captain from 
each regiment, and one subaltern for 
every fifty men, were ordered also to 
superintend the disembarkation of pro¬ 
visions. In the afternoon the shells of 
the besiegers set fire to the stores in 
the Spanish church. Parties were in¬ 
stantly detached from the main guard, 
72nd regiment, and other corps in town, 
to remove the provisions. The lieu¬ 
tenant-governor with his aides-de-camp 
was present, encouraging the men to 
perform this duty with expedition. The 
enemy’s fire at this time was remark¬ 
ably spirited; nevertheless, the greater 
part was saved by the activity of the 
parties. Many casks of flour were 
brought into the King’s bastion, and 
piled as temporary traverses before the 
doors of the southern casemates, in 
which several persons had been killed 
and wounded in bed. These traverses, 
however, did not continue long; for 
the men, when the spoils in the town 
became scarce, considered those barrels 
which the enemy’s shot had pierced as 
lawful prizes. The contents were soon 


scooped out and fried into pancakes, 
a dish which they were very expert iu 
cooking; and the upper casks, wanting 
support from below, gave way, and the 
whole came to the ground. Though 
the flour by this means was in a great 
measure lost to government, yet the 
number of accidents which these tra¬ 
verses prevented, greatly overbalanced 
the value of the article. Traverses of 
another nature were afterwards erected 
in their room. 

The gun-boats, on the 18th, fired 
again upon the shipping and men-of- 
war cruising in the bay. The Minerva 
and Monsieur frigates had several men 
dangerously wounded; and the Non¬ 
such had her mast crippled. The navy, 
after this attack, no longer considered 
these boats in the same despicable light 
as on their first entrance into the bay. 
In the course of the day a shell fell 
through the arch of the Galley-house, 
where part of the 39th and some of the 
12 th regiments were quartered; it 
killed two and wounded four privates. 
In consequence of this unexpected 
casualty the troops removed thence, 
and joined their regiments at the south¬ 
ward. 

Our batteries, especially at Willis’s, 
by this time exhibited a very disor¬ 
derly and ruinous appearance. The 
ordnance had been withdrawn when the 
artillery ceased to fire: but the merlons 
were now considerably damaged, and 
some of the cannon dismounted and 
injured. The lines were also nearly 
choked up with loose stones and rub¬ 
bish, brought down by the shot from 
the rock above; the traverses along 
the line wall were greatly injured; 
and the town, particularly at the north¬ 
ward, approached every day toward 
complete demolition. The engineers, 
however, were ordered to prepare ma¬ 
terials for repairing the Queen’s bat¬ 
tery at Willis’s; and parties of work¬ 
men were employed in carrying up 
from below sand-bags and other requi¬ 
sites for that purpose. New traverses 
were likewise begun along the differ¬ 
ent communications, higher, stronger, 
and at shorter distances than the old 
ones. 

The gun-boats renewed their attack. 




1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


73 


the 19th, on the shipping, but were 
soon obliged to retreat. In the course 
of the day the terrace storehouse was 
set on fire. The camp-equipage of the' 
garrison being in an adjacent house, 
parties from the regiments in town 
were ordered to remove them with the 
greatest expedition. The men gene¬ 
rally received some gratuity from the 
governor for these hazardous duties. 
The following day, the supplies being 
landed, the fleet in the evening pre¬ 
pared to return to the westward. Be¬ 
fore they weighed, their good friends 
the gun-boats gave them a parting 
salute, and did some damage. By six 
o’clock the whole were under way. 
Many merchantmen, freighted with 
merchandise and articles much wanted 
in the garrison, returned with their 
cargoes ; the merchants refusing to 
take them on account of the bombard¬ 
ment. Great numbers of the inhabit¬ 
ants and officers’ families likewise 
embraced this opportunity of leaving 
the garrison. 

The impatience of the British admi ¬ 
ral to disembark the supplies, that he 
might not lose the opportunity of the 
easterly wind to return from the Medi¬ 
terranean, had prevented the garrison 
from unloading the colliers that had 
arrived with the fleet: these ships were 
therefore scuttled in the New mole to 
be discharged at leisure. The ordnance 
transports were also ordered within the 
boom for the same purpose. In the 
course of the 20th, the Victualling- 
office was on fire for a short time; and 
at night the town was on fire in four 
different places; but the public stores 
being safe, no attempts were made to 
extinguish the flames. 

The enemy’s cannonade and bom¬ 
bardment continued still very brisk. 
The 21st, forty-two rounds were num¬ 
bered in two minutes, between six and 
eight o’clock. The garrison flag-staff 
on the Grand battery was so much in¬ 
jured by their fire, that the upper part 
was obliged to be cut off; and the 
colours, or rather the glorious remains, 
were nailed to the stump. The even¬ 
ing of the 22nd, the combustible mat¬ 
ter in their shells setting fire to some 
fascines at Waterport, Lieut. Cunning¬ 


ham, of the 39th regiment, was Wounded 
in extinguishing them. The fate of 
this young gentleman may be con¬ 
sidered as extraordinary. On examin¬ 
ing the wound, which was in the head, 
it appeared so trifling that the surgeon 
judged his skull unhurt; and his seem¬ 
ing recovery confirmed the opinion. 
Something more than a fortnight elapsed 
when he complained of a pain in his 
head: he immediately took to his bed, 
and in a short time expired. After his 
decease a considerable counter-fracture 
was discovered, with a quantity of ex¬ 
tra vasated blood encircling the brain. 

The gun and mortar boats, on the 
23rd, fired upon our parties ranging 
the provisions at the southward. 260 
shot and 40 shells were discharged, 
several of which fell about the camp 
and powder-magazines. The wife of a 
soldier of the 58th regiment was killed 
behind the South barracks, and seve¬ 
ral men wounded. The bombardment 
from the lines was now in some de¬ 
gree abated, in consequence of their 
batteries being shaken and injured by 
their own constant cannonade. We 
observed during this day a number of 
mules, with carts, bringing materials 
to the line to repair them. Our ar¬ 
tillery at night annoyed them with a 
few rounds from the batteries above 
Willis’s. 

The 24th, a shell fell at the door 
of a casemate, under the south flank of 
the King’s bastion, and wounded four 
men within the bomb-proof. This case¬ 
mate had been appropriated as a pow¬ 
der magazine for the bastion, and the 
powder had only been removed to the 
opposite casemate a few days previous 
to this accident. In the afternoon a 
soldier of the 12th regiment deserted 
from Landport guard, in consequence 
of which the town guards were ordered 
to assemble the subsequent day at two 
o’clock p. m. The enemy, however, 
not increasing their fire as was ex¬ 
pected, the guards afterwards mounted 
at the usual time. 

The garrison orders of the 26th ex¬ 
pressed, that any soldier, convicted of 
being drunk or asleep upon his post, or 
found marauding, should be immedi¬ 
ately executed. These measures ri- 




74 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. V. 


gorous as they may appear, were be¬ 
come absolutely necessary, and, in 
reality, had been too long deferred. 
The soldiei’s were now arrived at so 
high a pitch of licentiousness, that no 
respect was paid to their officers, and 
scarcely obedience to them even when 
on duty. Such behaviour, if not curbed 
in time, too commonly induces very 
serious consequences. At the same 
time that this order was issued, the 
regiments quartered at the southward 
were commanded, in case of alarm, to 
assemble in two lines on the Red sands, 
the British in front, and the Hano¬ 
verian brigade in the rear. The troops 
in town had their stations likewise 
allotted them. 

In the afternoon of the 27th, a con¬ 
voy of 20 victuallers, under charge of 
4 frigates and the Fortune sloop, ar¬ 
rived in thirteen days from Minorca. 
It now appeared that the governor did 
not entirely depend on receiving suc¬ 
cours from England, but thought it 
prudent to obtain supplies from other 
quarters, lest any accident should pre¬ 
vent the British fleet arriving in time 
to his relief. Thus determined to pro¬ 
vide against fortuitous events, he had 
secretly ordered provisions to be pur¬ 
chased from the prizes taken in the 
Mediterranean, and carried into Port 
Mahon, and shipped on board vessels 
that were hired for that purpose. Cap¬ 
tain Curtis, of the Brilliant frigate, had 
the charge of this valuable convoy; 
and the success attending the enterprise 
demonstrates with what secrecy it had 
been conducted. They were ignorant 
of Admiral Darby having been in the 
Mediterranean, and were agreeably sur¬ 
prised to find from the enemy no oppo¬ 
sition to their entrance. 

The provisions thrown in by the 
British admiral were not yet stored; 
nor had they any further protection 
against the weather than a covering of 
canvas, formed from the sails of the 
colliers that were run ashore in the 
New mole. Under these unavoidable 
circumstances, it was peculiarly unfor¬ 
tunate that the rains at this period 
should be unusually heavy, and of 
long continuance. The troops also 
were very material sufferers from this 


inclemency of the weather. The rain, 
that poured down in torrents from the 
face of the hill, soon broke down the 
loose banks of earth raised to cover 
their tents, which, being pitched on 
the declivity of the hill, were swept 
away by the force of the stream; and 
thus the fatigued soldier, who scarcely 
was one night out of three in bed, was 
frequently exposed at midnight to a 
deluge of rain. These misfortunes, 
however, taught them to provide against 
such future accidents; and in a few 
months, after some labour and atten¬ 
tion, their quarters were more comfort¬ 
able and secure. 

i The remainder of the month was 
remarkable for excessive rains, at¬ 
tended with most dreadful thunder and 
lightning, which, during the night, in 
addition to the fire from the enemy, 
had an awful and tremendous effect. 
The bombardment continued warm and 
well supported; but the enemy did not 
appear to have any particular object. 
In the early part of the day they in 
general fired pretty smartly: about 
noon their batteries slackened, and 
from twelve till two o’clock almost 
totally ceased: after two they recom¬ 
menced, and persevered till the suc¬ 
ceeding meridian. During the night 
they directed their fire principally to 
the heights and lines, as probably they 
had information, by the last deserter, 
that we employed, every night, parties 
to clear and repair those works. 

The morning of the 30th we dis¬ 
covered the gun and mortar boats ap¬ 
proaching the garrison: they took their 
stations off the town to avoid the fire 
from the frigates, and varied very little 
from their former attacks. Five shot 
landed on Windmill-hill, which was es¬ 
teemed a remarkably long range. We 
returned a brisk and well-directed fire; 
and they retired. It was remarked that 
the land batteries were in a measure 
silent during their stay. In the even¬ 
ing a Hanoverian, with some others, 
was detected marauding in a store: the 
party was given in charge to a sentry, 
but the former attempted to escape : the 
sentry called to him to stop, otherwise 
he would fire ; and on his not comply¬ 
ing with the order, the sentry shot him 






1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


75 


dead on the spot. A general return of I 
casualties, &c. for every month, is in¬ 
serted at the conclusion. 

Early on the 2nd of May, two set¬ 
tees arrived from Algiers, laden with 
sheep, wine, and brandy. The enemy 
now seemed to have given up the idea 
of blockading us to a surrender. No 
cruisers had been observed out since 
the departure of Admiral Darby. In 
the evening a shell from the garrison 
fell upon the eastern traverse, in the 
St. Carlos’s battery, under which was 
their magazine, and, communicating 
with the powder, blew it up. The 
explosion was not loud; but the da¬ 
mage was so very considerable that 
the ordnance were silent for several 
days. Our artillery annoyed the enemy 
greatly during their confusion, though 
they kept up a brisk discharge from 
the lines, at the rate of 250 rounds an 
hour. The day following, Lieut. Wil- 
lington, of the artillery, was wounded 
at Willis’s. The 5th, a soldier of the 
58th regiment was executed on the 
Grand parade, at the door of the store 
where he was detected plundering. 
His body hung till sunset, as an ex¬ 
ample to other offenders. 

The enemy’s cannonade and bom¬ 
bardment continued to be wide and 
scattered, apparently having no par¬ 
ticular object. Shells were yet la¬ 
vishly expended; and, what was very 
singular, many of those which fell 
blind, contained, on examination, a 
vast quantity of sand mixed with the 
powder. We could not otherwise ac¬ 
count for this unusual circumstance, 
than by supposing the powder was 
stolen by their people in the labora¬ 
tories. Other shells still scattered, on 
their explosion, combustible matter, 
which, setting fire to the loose timber 
and wood dispersed amongst the ruins 
of the town, greatly endangered the 
king’s stores and magazines. This in¬ 
duced the governor, on the 6th, to 
publish a placard, signifying to the 
inhabitants that such materials of this 
nature as were not removed out of the 
reach of the enemy’s fire, would be 
converted to the king’s use. The 
morning of the 7th, the gun and mor¬ 
tar boats fired upon the town and the 


New mole: they stayed about an hour, 
and then retired. We returned up¬ 
wards of 400 rounds with great vi¬ 
vacity, which greatly displeased the 
governor: “ There would be no end,” 
he said, “ of expending ammunition if 
we fired every time they came, and 
while they were at so great a distance: 
in future” he ordered “no notice to 
be taken of the gun-boats, unless they 
approached within the distance of 
grape.” The 8th, Captain Fowlis, of 
the 73rd, was wounded in the lines. 

The enemy’s fire was now more 
regular: we no longer experienced 
the sudden fits that had induced them 
to discharge a whole battery at a 
volley: it amounted about this time, 
upon an average, to 1500 rounds in the 
twenty-four hours. The 9th, Lieut. 
Lowe, of the 12th regiment, a superin¬ 
tendent of the working-parties, lost 
his leg by a shot, on the slope of the 
hill under the castle. He saw the 
shot before the fatal effect, but was 
fascinated to the spot. This sudden 
arrest of the faculties was not uncom¬ 
mon: several instances occurred to 
mj r own observation, where men to¬ 
tally free have had their senses so 
engaged by a shell in its descent* that, 
though sensible of their danger, even 
so far as to cry for assistance, they 
have been immediately fixed to the 
place. But what is more remarkable, 
these men have so instantaneously re¬ 
covered themselves on its fall to the 
ground, as to remove to a place of 
safety before the shell burst. The 
gun and mortar boats repeated their 
visit on the 11th, but fired from so 
respectful a distance that scarcely a 
shot came ashore. Our batteries were 
manned; nevertheless, not a gun was 
returned. Lieutenant Thornton, of the 
12th regiment, was wounded the same 
day with splinters of stones, thrown up 
by a shot which grazed betwixt his 
legs. 

The buildings in town at this time 
exhibited a most dreadful picture of 
the effects of so animated a bombard¬ 
ment. Scarcely a house, north of the 
Grand parade, was tenantable; all of 

( them were deserted. Some few, near 
Southport, continued to be inhabited 





76 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap V. 


by soldiers’ families; but in general 
the floors and roofs were destroyed, 
and the walls only were left standing. 
The governor and lieutenant-governor, 
however, maintained their quarters, 
having parties constantly employed in 
repairing the damage. Both had bomb- 
proofs ; and the former afterwards had 
a large tent pitched on a rising situ¬ 
ation south of the Red sands, where, 
with his suite, he generally remained 
during the day, returning at night to 
town; but the lieutenant-governor con¬ 
stantly resided in town, having accom¬ 
modations in the King’s bastion. 

The evening of the 12th, the gun and 
mortar boats fired upon the garrison 
from off the Old mole, seconded by a 
very warm fire from their land bat¬ 
teries. Several shells from the former 
ranged as high as the Signal - house, 
and some fell over the rock. They dis¬ 
charged 180 shot and 46 shells, and 
then retired, throwing up the usual 
signal of a rocket from each boat 
Though our batteries were manned, 
the garrison remained silent. About 
the 13th, and for a few succeeding 
days, the enemy’s shells were directed 
for an unusual long range. One fell on 
the forecastle of a collier in the New 
mole, and pierced both decks, but did 
not burst. Two fell amongst the pro¬ 
visions on the New mole parade, and 
another in the middle yard of the 
South barracks; a splinter of the latter 
flew to the Navy hospital. The 14th, 
a shell fell into the Small armoury, 
near Southport, but fortunately did 
little injury. The 17th, the Jews’ syn¬ 
agogue and other buildings were burnt 
down. The following day, a shell from 
our upper batteries blew up the guard- 
room in the place d’armes of Fort Bar¬ 
bara. Our engineers were at this time 
employed every night in clearing the 
works, filling up shell-holes, and re¬ 
pairing the glacis and traverses at 
Waterport. The enemy’s fire at this 
period seldom exceeded a thousand 
rounds in the course of 24 hours: their 
batteries were much shaken with the 
firing, and parties were constantly 
bringing supplies of ammunition to the 
lines, and different materials for the 
repair of their works. 


An attempt was made by the navy, 
on the 19th, to cut off a polacre be¬ 
calmed near Europa Point; but, a 
breeze springing up, she escaped. The 
gun-boats soon after came out, appa¬ 
rently with an intention of avenging 
this affront; but, the wind freshening, 
they returned. The cannonade from 
the enemy was now principally directed 
at our upper batteries. The rock gun, 
mounted on the summit of the northern 
front, was become as warm, if not 
warmer, than any other battery; and 
scarcely a day passed without some 
casualties at that post. The gun and 
mortar boats, early in the morning of 
the 20th, repeated their attack on the 
garrison and shipping. They were 
arranged in two divisions, those to the 
northward directing their fire towards 
the King’s bastion and Southport, but 
most of their shells broke on the face 
of the rock; whilst the southward divi¬ 
sion annoyed the shipping and camp. 
Their usual signal for retiring was 
made about a quarter past three o’clock. 
On this occasion we returned a few shots 
from the town batteries. 

At the commencement of the bom¬ 
bardment, the out-guards of Bay-side 
and Lower Forbes’s had been with¬ 
drawn from those barriers, and an 
officer’s guard stationed every night in 
the Fleche, a work erected near the 
Inundation at the foot of Landport 
glacis. On the morning of the 21st, 
the sentries at this post observed a man 
advancing, with great circumspection, 
along the causeway: instead of answer¬ 
ing when challenged, he immediately 
dropped. Lieut. Wetham, of the 58th 
regiment, the officer on duty, suspect¬ 
ing he came to reconnoitre, instantly, 
with the serjeant, went out to seize 
him; but the man rising, he pursued, 
and was within a very short distance 
of securing him, when he fell into a 
shell-hole near Bay-side, and the man 
escaped. It was imagined that curio¬ 
sity had prompted him to make trial of 
the alertness of our sentries. His hat, 
which fell off in his retreat, his firelock 
with bayonet, and pouch filled with 29 
rounds of ammunition, were hung on 
the palisades of the barrier, and were 
afterwards brought in. 




1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


77 


Early on the morning of the 22nd, a 
splinter of a shell, which fell and burst 
on the Church battery, ranged upwards 
of 200 yards, and cutting the leaden 
apron of the morning-gun on the South 
bastion, fired it off. This singular cir¬ 
cumstance, happening some hours be¬ 
fore daybreak, not a little surprised 
those who heard the report, and were 
ignorant of the cause. Our fire was 
now increased to about 150 rounds 
in the 24 hours, the enemy’s parties 
being engaged in repairing the lines 
of approach. Their cannonade, on the 
contrary, was i*educed, upon an average, 
to 650 rounds. 

The night of the 23rd, the gun and 
mortar boats renewed their attack upon 
the camp, which, in its consequences, 
was more dreadful than any we had 
hitherto experienced. The silence ob¬ 
served by the garrison during their 
preceding visits emboldened them, on 
this occasion, to advance so near that 
we could distinctly hear their officers 
give orders to the men, who frequently 
cried out to us, in Spanish, to “take 
care.” During the first and second 
rounds, the shells fell over Windmill- 
hill into the sea; but this mistake they 
soon rectified, and the attack became 
excessively smart. Two shells fell 
within the Hospital-wall, and a shot 
passed through the roof of one of the 
pavilions. A shell fell in a house in 
Hardy-town, and killed Mr. Israel, a 
very respectable Jew, with Mrs. Tour- 
ale, a female relation, and his clerk. 
Another, from the St. Carlos’s battery, 
fell into a house near South-shed, in 
which were fifteen or sixteen persons: 
the shell burst, but all escaped, except 
a child whose mother had experienced 
a similar fate some time before. A sol¬ 
dier of the 72nd regiment was killed in 
his bed by a shot; and a Jew butcher 
was equally unfortunate. In all, seven 
were killed, and twelve or thirteen 
wounded. The silence of the garrison, 
when the destructive effects of this 
attack were publicly known, caused 
great secret discontent amongst the 
soldiers; and such representations were 
made to the governor, that he ordered 
the artillery to return their fire when 
they repeated their visit. 


The evening of the 27th, the engi¬ 
neers, with a strong party, repaired the 
Queen’s battery (Willis’s). The new 
merlons were raised with sand-bags on 
the base of the old ones, and the whole 
was completed before morning gun¬ 
fire. The following day, a squadron 
of Russian men-of-war passed through 
the Straits to the west. Whilst they 
remained in sight, the enemy increased 
their fire upon the garrison. The same 
day arrived the General Murray pri¬ 
vateer and a polacre from Minorca, 
with wine, brandy, lemons, and salt; 
and in the evening, the Enterprise fri¬ 
gate, with 17 ordnance-ships and trans¬ 
ports, sailed for England. The enemy 
discovered them before they quitted 
the bay, and repeated their signals to¬ 
wards Cadiz. The garrison flag-staff, 
on the Grand battery, was now so mu¬ 
tilated, and the flag so much torn by 
the enemy’s shot, that it became neces¬ 
sary to erect a new one, which was 
done the night of the 28th; and it 
served to engage the attention of the 
enemy in the succeeding day’s firing. 

The morning of the 29th, two British 
frigates, the Flora and Crescent, which 
had conveyed the Minorca ordnance- 
ships to Mahon, appeared from the east. 
Capt.Peere Williams, in the former, stood 
towards the bay; and being informed 
by Capt. Curtis that the Enterprise had 
sailed the preceding evening, put about 
and followed his consort, the Crescent, 
which was then chasing two vessels, 
apparently Dutchmen, under the Bar¬ 
bary shore; and soon aftei they disap¬ 
peared, we heard a cannonade to the 
west, which most likely proceeded 
from the ensuing engagement, as we 
afterwards learned that the ships chased 
were Dutch frigates.* At noon the 
same day, two artificers were executed 
at the White Convent in Irish Town 
for marauding; and the following day, 
one of the 58th suffered for the same 


* Captain Williams, in this action, took his 
opponent; but the Crescent, from some un¬ 
fortunate accidents, was compelled to sur¬ 
render to her adversary. The Crescent was, 
however, retaken by the Flora; but being 
greatly damaged, both she and the Flora’s 
prize afterwards fell a prey to some French 
cruisers. 





78 


HISTORY OF THE 


offence. The 31st, in the evening, a 
ship under Ragusan colours, attempt¬ 
ing to get round Europa Point to pro¬ 
ceed to Algeziras, was driven under 
our guns, and obliged to come in. She 
was laden with wheat and barley, bound 
from Barcelona to Cadiz; and her cargo 
was condemned as a lawful prize. 

The enemy’s bombardment was con¬ 
siderably abated towards the close of 
the month. Their objects for some 
time were the upper batteries, and par¬ 
ticularly the Royal battery, whence 
they were greatly incommoded. They 
often attempted to reach Landport and 
the lines with heavy grape from the 
advanced mortars, but it seldom ranged 
farther than the Inundation. Our 
engineers, notwithstanding their fire, 
continued making such repairs as the 
enemy’s cannonade rendered necessary. 

About two o’clock, on the morning 
of the 1st of June, the gun and mortar 
boats saluted us as usual, and wounded 
three or four men : they were in three 
divisions. We returned the fire from 
different batteries between King’s bas¬ 
tion and Buena Vista. During this 
attack an incident happened which I 
will beg leave to insert. A soldier, 
rambling about the town, accidentally 
found, in the ruins of a house, several 
watches and other articles of value, of 
which he immediately, made prize; but 
how to secrete them afterwards was a 
subject that required the utmost reach 
of his invention. He was sensible he 
could not secure them in his quarters, 
as every soldier of his regiment was 
examined on his return to his bomb¬ 
proof from duty. He resolved, there¬ 
fore, on a singular expedient. Taking 
out the wad which served as a tompion 
to a gun on the King’s bastion, he 
lodged his prize, which was tied in his 
handkerchief, as far as he could reach, 
within the gun, and put the wad in its 
former place. In times of peace he 
could not have devised a better reposi¬ 
tory ; but, unfortunately, the gun-boats 
coming the same evening (whilst he 
was fast asleep in his casemate, not 
apprehending any danger to his secreted 
treasure), this richly loaded gun was 
one of the first that was discharged at 
the enemy, and the foundation of his 


[chap. v. 

future greatness was dispersed in an 
instant. 

The enemy’s cannonade, in the be¬ 
ginning of June, decreased to about 
500 rounds in the 24 hours: the 
King’s, or Black battery (as it was 
called by the garrison), with the two 
fourteen-gun batteries in their lines, 
were now silent. 

The morning of the 3rd the gun¬ 
boats repeated their visit about the 
same time as before. In this attack 
2 serjeants, of the 12th and 58th regi¬ 
ments, were killed, and 2 privates 
wounded : many shells fell among the 
tents of the different regiments, and 
two shot in the hospital-yard. A cor¬ 
poral, going with the relief at Land- 
port, had the muzzle of his firelock 
closed, and the barrel twisted like a 
French horn, by a shell, without injury 
to his person. We returned the fire 
from the town batteries, hoping by that 
means to direct their attention from 
our camp. The 4th, the governor 
commemorated the anniversary of his 
Majesty’s birthday, by a salute at noon 
of 23 cannon, and 43 mortars, being 
the number of ordnance that bore on 
the St. Carlos’s battery. The fire began 
at the Rock mortar, seconded by the 
Old mole, and so on from right to left 
till the whole were discharged: the 
enemy, indulging themselves, as usual, 
with a siesta, did not immediately 
return our fire; but in the early part 
of the day they had made the town 
pretty warm, and fired twice or thrice 
through the royal standard. 

In the course of the 4th, a tartan 
was taken coming in from the east: 
the crew, however, escaped to the gar¬ 
rison in their boat. A Spanish squadron 
of 2 line-of-battle ships, 3 xebeques, 
and 2 bomb-ketches, also arrived the 
same day at Algeziras, from aloft. 
With this reinforcement, their naval 
force before Gibraltar amounted to 2 
ships of the line, 5 xebeques, 2 ketches, 
several half-galleys and armed vessels, 
with 15 or 16 gun and mortar boats. 
These latter were become so active that 
we could never promise ourselves a 
night’s repose without being disturbed 
by a cannonade ; and their attacks 
were more vexatious from the impossi- 





1781] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


79 


bility of being able to retaliate, because 
they presented to us so small an object. 
Whenever the alarm was given of their 
approach, which was generally a little 
after midnight, the southern part of 
the rock was in immediate commotion. 
Their effects had been found so de¬ 
structive, that all were upon the look¬ 
out : the troops were ordered from 
their tents, to places where they were 
covered from the shot; but the shells 
were directed into the most sequestered 
recesses. Such was the terror of the 
miserable inhabitants, that many of 
them fled nearly naked to the remote 
parts of the rock ; and even here they 
could scarcely deem themselves secure: 
in short, no scene could be more de¬ 
plorable than that of their distress on 
these occasions. 

The enemy’s bombardment from the 
land was still continued with little 
variation: they appeared, indeed, to 
have no other object than the expendi¬ 
ture of ammunition. In their camp, 
large parties were constantly bringing 
brushwood for fascines from the coun¬ 
try ; and others were employed in 
disembarking stores from small vessels 
which were daily arriving from all 
quarters. 

The 9th, we were alarmed with the 
blowing-up of one of the enemy’s maga¬ 
zines, situated at a small distance from 
the Catalonian camp to the west of the 
Queen of Spain’s Chair. The different 
explosions that succeeded the first resem¬ 
bled a continual roll of fire like repeated 
volleys of musketry; from which cir¬ 
cumstance we conjectured that it was 
their repository for live shells and fixed 
ammunition. Their drums immedi¬ 
ately beat to arms; and the whole army, 
consisting of thirteen battalions besides 
cavalry, assembled in front of the camp. 
Parties were instantly detached; but 
the splinters of the shells kept them for 
some time at a considerable distance. 
The shells, however, at length ceased 
to displode: they advanced, and re¬ 
moved powder, &c. from a neighbour¬ 
ing magazine to a place southward of 
the fire; where, meeting afterwards in 
great numbers, our artillery endea¬ 
voured to reach them with a large 
shell from Willis’s; but the distance 


was beyond the range of a sea-mortar. 
From the long continuance and succes¬ 
sive loud reports it was thought they 
must have sustained great loss, not only 
of ammunition, but of men, as the 
splinters were seen, with glasses, to 
range much farther than the spot 
where the detachment first assembled; 
and remarkable economy was after¬ 
wards observed in the article of shells. 

The following day, a line-of-battle 
ship, proceeding from Point Mala to 
the eastward, was fired upon from the 
garrison, and obliged to put about and 
anchor at Algezii’as. A flag of truce 
came the day after to the New mole, to 
know the cause of our firing upon her, 
being a Neapolitan man-of-war. The 
governor answered, that the first shot 
was to bring her to; which she not 
obeying, every succeeding one was fired 
to sink her. The night of the 11th, 
the gun and mortar boats, according to 
custom, bombarded the camp, killed a 
child, and wounded a woman. They 
retired much sooner than usual; which 
we attributed to their having received 
some damage, as our grape was heard 
to strike them. We returned 96 
rounds of various kinds. Their land 
batteries, during the attack, directed 
their fire principally towards the King’s 
bastion, and along the line-Avall in town, 
whence, they observed, we for some 
time past generally fired when they 
came over. The 14th being the anni¬ 
versary of Corpus Christi, the festival 
was noticed by the enemy’s shipping 
with the usual flags of decoration, and 
the customary salutes: repeated volleys 
were likewise discharged from the lines; 
which, being unexpected on our side, 
killed and wounded several. 

Though their bombardment in gene¬ 
ral, at this period, scarcely exceeded 
450 rounds in 24 hours, yet the bat¬ 
teries at Willis’s, notwithstanding the 
recent repairs, were again greatly da¬ 
maged. The enemy’s shot, though 
fired at so great a distance, frequently 
pierced seven solid feet of sand-bag 
work. To obviate this, strong wooden 
frames, called caissons, were constructed 
of the same dimensions as the merlons; 
which, when well rammed with clay, 
and covered in front and on the top 





80 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. V. 


with junk cut in lengths for the pur¬ 
pose, were expected to resist better than 
the temporary repairs that had been 
done during the severity of the enemy’s 
fire. The enemy also adopted the 
same mode in capping the merlons of 
Fort St. Barbara. 

A flag of truce, on the 15th, informed 
us that two ships had been captured 
leaving the garrison, and that the pri¬ 
soners were ready to be sent in. The 
Fortune sloop, in consequence, the next 
day brought over 141 English and 
Jews, men, women, and children. It 
was remarked that the enemy the preced¬ 
ing day continued their bombardment 
during the flag of truce; but a strict 
cessation was observed this day, owing, 
as we imagined, to some represen¬ 
tations. We observed, on the 20th, 
a new camp of 112 tents in the rear of 
Barcelo’s battery, north of Algeziras. 
The day following, Montague’s bastion 
was opened on the enemy, as parties 
were repairing the St. Carlos’s battery. 

The bombardment now decreased 
daily. The fire of the enemy was 
chiefly directed to our upper batteries, 
for the town was almost a heap of 
ruins: they sometimes threw a long- 
ranger; but these shells seldom did 
any injury. The night of the 24th, 
the gun-boats fired upon the camp, but 
at such a distance, that little damage 
was received, though they expended 
400 shot and 70 shells. We returned 
88 rounds, principally small shells, 
whose fuses were so accurately cut, as 
to break just over the boats. The 27th, 
we observed another encampment (ca¬ 
pable of quartering two battalions) at 
the tower between the river Palmones 
and Algeziras. Many were of opinion 
that this camp, with that at Barcelo’s 
battery, was occupied by militia. The 
gun and mortar boats again bombarded 
our camp about midnight for two 
hours: they then made their usual 
signal, and as we imagined, were gone 
back; but soon after, they returned, 
and, recommencing a brisker fire than 
before, killed and wounded 12 or 14, 
the greatest number of which were of 
the 39th regiment. This was the most 
important loss which our troops had 
yet experienced from the gun-boats; 


but we concluded ourselves in some 
degree fortunate in not suffering more 
considerably; as most of the regiments, 
imagining the bombardment over for 
the night, were in bed when they re¬ 
turned. 

The disagreeable and frequent repe¬ 
tition of these attacks prompted the 
governor to adopt, if possible, some ex¬ 
pedients to annoy the enemy’s camp in 
return. The distance was conceived 
to be within the range of shells from 
the Old mole head : accordingly a 13- 
inch sea-mortar was removed to the 
extremity; and six cannon, five 32- 
pounders and one 18-pounder, were at 
the same time sunk in the sand behind 
the Old mole, and then secured with 
timber, &c. at different degrees of ele¬ 
vation. These arrangements had been 
for some time in agitation; and being 
now completed, he determined to make 
the experiment. About 10 o’clock in 
the forenoon of the 28th, six rounds 
were discharged from each: three of 
the shells burst in the enemy’s camp, 
and one over it. The other two ex¬ 
ploded in their passage: all the shot 
went home. A battalion of Spanish 
guards, happening to be under arms, 
were greatly alarmed, and dispersed 
three different times: at length they 
were assembled, and marched off toward 
the left. This being only intended as an 
experiment, the artillery soon ceased 
firing; but it is scarcely possible to 
express the general satisfaction which 
this success diffused through the garri¬ 
son. The mortar was loaded with 
from 30 lbs. to 28^ lbs. of powder at the 
usual elevation; the 32-pounder with 
14, and the 18 with 9 lbs. of pow¬ 
der ; all the latter at an elevation of 42 
degrees. 

The governor, beside this plan of re¬ 
taliation, devised other schemes to 
cover and protect his camp, if possible, 
from future attacks. Two brigs were 
ordered to be cut down and converted 
into prames, each to carry four or 
five heavy cannon; which were to be 
moored between the New mole and 
Ragged Staff, at such distance from the 
works as to be easily protected, and 
yet far enough out to keep their boats 
at a respectful distance. Artificers 




1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


81 


from the garrison assisted the navy in 
fitting out these vessels. One of them 
being finished previous to the before- 
mentioned experiment, was moored at 
the distance of about half musket-shot 
from the New mole head. She was 
named the Vanguard, mounted two 
Spanish 26-pounders, and two twelves, 
and was rigged like a settee. The 
enemy’s squadron, on the 29th, was re¬ 
inforced with five xebeques and two 
galleys, from the east. At night sailed 
a packet for Faro, in Portugal. 

The 2nd July, additional tents were 
pitched at the new camp near the tower, 
north of Algeziras. About one in the 
morning of the 4th, the gun-boats re¬ 
peated their attack; but contrary to 
their former custom, numbers of their 
shot and shells fell amongst the ship¬ 
ping. The Porcupine frigate, Sir 
Charles Knowles, Bart., and an India- 
man, each received a shot; and the 
Brilliant’s bottom was struck with a 
splinter of a shell, which burst under 
her; but no particular damage was re¬ 
ceived in the garrison, except two men 
being slightly wounded. The gover¬ 
nor retaliated by ordering six rounds 
of shot and shells to be fired into their 
camp, from the guns and sea-mortars 
at the Old mole: the cannon were 
pointed indiscriminately for the camp ; 
but the mortars were laid for the fas¬ 
cine and artillery parks. One of the 
shells set fire to a hut, and alarmed 
them exceedingly. As the governor 
now determined to retaliate in this 
manner, we were in hopes it would 
deter them from so frequently disturb¬ 
ing us. 

The enemy continued making ga¬ 
bions, and bringing much wood into the 
camp: on the other hand, our people 
were employed in repairs, and addi¬ 
tions to the works. Traverses were 
erected at the Royal battery, and parties 
were employed on the north front, from 
the rock gun to the Old mole head. 
The 10th, a brig coming in from the 
east was taken by the enemy’s cruisers, 
which for some weeks past had again 
kept a very vigilant look-out. The 
crew however escaped to the rock; and 
they had thrown the letters over-board 
before they abandoned the vessel. 


The bombardment, which, by almost 
imperceptible degrees, had been de¬ 
creasing, on the 12th nearly ceased. 
The cannon in their seven and four¬ 
teen-gun batteries were all drawn back, 
to facilitate, as we imagined, the re¬ 
pairing of the platforms and inner part 
of the batteries. The 13th some troops 
at the tower decamped, and in a few 
days afterwards a regiment marched 
away from the Algeziras camp. The 
15th two settees and a brig sailed from 
Point Mala with gabions to the west. 
One vessel had sailed thence on the 
13th. These materials, we conjec¬ 
tured, were for some new works in 
the neighbourhood; but we were after¬ 
wards informed that they were taken 
to Minorca, and were used in the ap¬ 
proaches carried on against St. Philip’s. 
Their firing was now confined to the 
night, and unless we provoked them, 
scarcely ever exceeded thirty rounds. 

The Spanish general visited the lines 
on the 18th; but a fire breaking out in 
his camp, he returned immediately on 
its appearance. In the evening the 
caissons for the Queen’s battery being 
carried up to Willis’s, and the sand¬ 
bags brought from Pocoroca clay-pit, 
the engineers at dusk, with a party of 
380 men, began to re-establish the 
merlons; and by the morning gun-fire 
of the 19 th the old sand-bags were re¬ 
moved, the caissons placed, and filled 
with clay, sand, and junk, and the bat¬ 
tery made fit for the reception of artil¬ 
lery. The governor was present the 
whole time, and expressed the highest 
approbation of the diligence and activity 
of the party. The caissons were made 
of oak timber, joined by strong iron 
bolts. Whilst they were at work the 
gun-boats fired upon the camp, and 
were seconded by the land batteries on 
the town: a hundred and thirty-two 
rounds were returned on the boats, and 
sixteen shells thrown into the enemy’s 
camp. One of the artillery and one of 
the 73rd regiment were wounded. 

The morning of the 20th the enemy 
fired a salute from the lines, followed 
by a feu-de-joie from the army drawn 
up in two lines in front of their camp, 
concluding with a grand discharge from 
their shipping an4 small craft at Alge- 
6 




82 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. t. 


ziras. The troops in garrison changed 
quarters on the 21st: the 39th and 
Hardenberg’s regiments relieved the 
72nd, and other detachments in King’s 
and Montague’s bastions, Waterport 
casemate, and Picket yard. The 58th, 
72nd, and 73rd regiments encamped; 
the 12th regiment remained on their 
ground, and the 56th, Reden’s, and La 
Motte’s occupied the South barracks 
and other quarters. The enemy on the 
same day decamped from the ground 
north of Algeziras. Brigadier Ross 
sailed on the night of the 22nd in a 
boat to Faro, in his route to England; 
and the following day a privateer ar¬ 
rived in eight days from Mahon, with 
a packet. Two days afterwards a boat 
arrived from Portugal. The patron 
informed us that the army at that time 
before Gibraltar principally consisted 
of militia regiments, the regular troops 
having embarked for the West Indies : 
he further said, that the Spanish fleet 
had sailed from Cadiz on a cruise. 
Soon after this boat arrived a large 
fleet of upwards of seventy sail ap¬ 
peared from the west: when abreast of 
Europa we discovered amongst them a 
ship of the line, two frigates, two cut¬ 
ters, a bomb-ketch, and several armed 
vessels: they did not display any 
colours. This proved afterwards to be 
the fleet which blockaded Mahon, and 
conveyed the troops which besieged 
Fort St. Philip, under the command of 
the Due de Crillon, and captured the 
island of Minorca. 

Our camp was alarmed on the 27th 
with the report that the gun-boats 
were approaching. The batteries were 
manned, and the regiments assembled; 
but the enemy not appearing, they re¬ 
turned to quarters. The signals for 
seeing the boats in future were ordered 
to be a false fire, and two guns from the 
shipping. 

August was introduced by an attack 
from the gun-boats. They came upon 
us by surprise; for we had no signal 
from our guard-boats. This was after¬ 
wards accounted for by the enemy 
having taken a circle; by which means 
our guard-boats, when they began to 
fire, were without, and the gun-boats 
between them and the garrison. Our 


fire in return was well served, and ap¬ 
peared to do some execution: twelve 
large shells and fifteen shot were like¬ 
wise thrown into the camp from the 
Old mole: several of the former burst 
just as they fell, consequently promised 
to do mischief. Their land batteries 
seconded the fire from the sea, but we 
did not experience any casualties. Two 
days afterwards the other prame, called 
the Repulse, mounting five twenty-six 
pounders, was moored about musket- 
shot to the southward of the Vanguard, 
and the same distance from our bat¬ 
teries. These vessels were of such 
annoyance to their boats, that whilst 
they remained out, we never afterwards 
were so much disturbed at the south¬ 
ward. 

The artillery at Willis’s endeavoured 
on the 4th to set fire to the canes and 
weeds in the gardens; but they were 
too full of sap to take fire. This at¬ 
tempt attracted a brisk cannonade for 
some time from the enemy. Early in 
the morning of the 6th a shell fell into 
a tent behind General La Motte’s quar¬ 
ters, at the southward, in which were 
two men of the 58th, asleep. They 
were not awakened by its fall; but a 
serjeant in an adjacent tent heard it, 
and ran near forty yards to a place of 
safety, when he recollected the situa¬ 
tion of his friends. Thinking the shell 
had fallen blind, he returned and 
awakened them: both immediately 
rose, but continued by the place, de¬ 
bating on the narrow escape they had 
had, when the shell exploded, and 
forced them with great violence against 
the garden-wall, but miraculously did 
no further mischief than destroying 
everything in the tent. 

On the morning of the 7tb, before 
the haze was quite dispelled in the Gut, 
a signal for an enemy was made by the 
Spaniards at Cabrita Point. As the 
fog dispersed we discovered at a con¬ 
siderable distance a vessel becalmed, 
but rowing towards the garrison with 
the current. Fourteen gun-bOats were 
then advancing from Algeziras to in¬ 
tercept her: upon which Captain Curtis, 
of the Brilliant, ordered out Sir Charles 
Knowles, with three barges, to en¬ 
deavour to get alongside, and receive 





1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


83 


any dispatches the vessel might have 
on board, whilst he attended the tow¬ 
ing out of the Vanguard and Repulse 
prames, to cover them and protect her. 
Sir Charles personally executed his 
orders, and returned with a packet for 
the governor. The vessel by this time 
was about a league and a half from the 
garrison, and the headmost gun-boat 
within shot, advancing apparently with 
an intent to board: stopping, however, 
at the distance of a few hundred yards, 
she poured in a discharge of round 
and grape shot, and was immediately 
seconded by her consorts astern. The 
vessel, which we now discovered to 
be a king’s sloop-of-war, returned the 
salute with a broadside, and musketry 
from her quarter-deck; and a spirited 
action commenced. Appearances at 
this juncture were so greatly in favour 
of the Spaniards, that the garrison gave 
up the sloop for lost. Becalmed a 
league from the rock, and fourteen 
gun-boats, each carrying a twenty-six 
pounder, full of men, cannonading her 
on every side with grape and round 
shot; a xebeque also bearing down 
with a gentle breeze, were circum¬ 
stances which seemed to preclude the 
possibility of escape. After maintain¬ 
ing, however, a very warm, judicious, 
and well-served fire, often obliging the 
boats to retire, the westerly breeze at 
last reached her; and not long after¬ 
wards she was safe under our guns. 
She proved to be the Helena sloop- 
of-war, fourteen small guns, Captain 
Roberts, in fourteen days from Eng¬ 
land. Her loss during this action was 
much less than could have been pos¬ 
sibly imagined, when we considered 
the showers of grape and round shot 
that every instant surrounded her: she 
had only one killed and two wounded ; 
but her upper rigging and sails were 
much cut and injured. We attributed 
the hull’s being scarcely touched to the 
construction of the gun-boats; for, 
being originally intended to annoy at a 
distance, their cannon could not be de¬ 
pressed. The enemy however did not 
escape so well: numbers were seen to 
drop in the boats from the musketry 
of the sloop, and several were towed 
off disabled; which were very con¬ 


vincing proofs that their loss was con¬ 
siderable. 

A settee was taken on the 12th by the 
enemy’s cruisers. The crew, except¬ 
ing three Jew passengers, escaped to 
the garrison: they informed us that 
great preparations were making in the 
French and Spanish ports for some 
grand expedition: the object was how¬ 
ever kept secret; but many at Minorca 
suspected St. Philip’s to be the place. 

The enemy’s bombardment, if we 
may now call it by that name, scarcely 
exceeded, at this time, three shells in 
the 24 hours, which the soldiers (con¬ 
jecturing that some allusion might be 
intended, by that superstitious nation, 
to the sacred Trinity) jocosely, though 
profanely termed, Father, Son, and 
Holy Ghost. It is not indeed alto¬ 
gether improbable that the Spaniards 
might entertain some bigoted respect 
for that mystical number, and, con¬ 
sidering the British in the light of 
heretics, might apprehend some efficacy 
from it, in the great work of converting 
the garrison to the Catholic faith: at 
least, it is difficult, on any more reason¬ 
able ground, to account for their ex¬ 
actly continuing to fire neither more 
nor less, for so considerable a period. 

The mention of this circumstance 
brings to my recollection another, of a 
ridiculous nature, which serves to de¬ 
monstrate the thoughtlessness of the 
English soldiers, who can jest in the hour 
of danger, and indulge their prejudices 
at the expense of what other nations, 
however differing in sentiment, gene¬ 
rally agree to hold in a degree of 
respect. It is first to be remembered, 
that, according to the articles of capitu¬ 
lation by which the garrison was sur¬ 
rendered to Admiral Sir George Rooke, 
it was stipulated that the inhabitants 
should be tolerated in their religion: 
the old Spanish church was therefore 
continued as a place of worship for 
those of the Roman Catholic persua¬ 
sion, and, as is usual in Roman Ca¬ 
tholic churches, was decorated, amongst 
others, with figures, as large as life, of 
our Saviour and the Virgin Mary. 

At the commencement of the firing, 
when the soldiers were engaged in a 
succession of irregularities, a party of 
G 2 





84 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. V. 


them assembled in the Spanish church, 
to carouse and be merry. In the midst 
of their jollity, the image of the Virgin 
Mary was observed in the ruins by one 
of the party, who instantly proposed, 
as a piece of fun, to place her ladyship 
in the whirligig.* The scheme seemed 
to meet with general approbation, till 
one, wiser than the rest, stopped them 
with a remark, that it would ill become 
them, as military men, and particularly 
Englishmen, to punish any person with¬ 
out a trial. A court-martial conse¬ 
quently sat, with mock ceremony; and 
her ladyship was found guilty of 
drunkenness, debauchery, and other 
high crimes, and condemned to the 
whirligig, whither she was immedi¬ 
ately carried in procession. The go¬ 
vernor (who, notwithstanding the fir¬ 
ing, regularly attended the parade), at 
guard-mounting discovered the poor 
Virgin in confinement; but expressed 
his disapprobation of the action, and 
ordered her instantly to be removed to 
the White Convent, where, by the bye, 
she was by no means exempt from 
fiirther insult and disgrace. If a bi¬ 
goted Spaniard could have beheld this 
transaction, he probably would have 
thought the English worse than here¬ 
tics; and would have concluded, that 
their impiety could not fail to attract 
the special vengeance of Heaven. 

The night of the 15th, the gun and 
mortar boats bombarded our camp; 
their disposition extending from off Lit¬ 
tle bay to the Old mole head : their fire, 
as had been the custom for some time 
before, was seconded by a brisk can¬ 
nonade from the lines, which was 
very judiciously served. Many of their 
shells burst in the air, over our ship¬ 
ping; but the ships continued silent. 
Our artillery retaliated from the Old 
mole head, and small shells were dis¬ 
charged from the elevated guns, which 
seemed to answer very well. One of 
the 72nd regiment was killed; two of 
the artillery, and two of the 73rd, with 
a boy, an inhabitant, were wounded. 
In this attack, a shell fell amongst 

* A machine erected at the bottom of the 
Grand parade, for the punishment of scolding 
women, or others guilty of trifling misde¬ 
meanors. 


some naval stores, in a ground-ward 
of the Naval hospital; and the most 
dreadful consequences might have been 
expected from this accident, if the fire 
had not been happily extinguished by 
the picket, which the governor had 
ordered, some time before, to assemble 
here, to prevent, if possible, such ca¬ 
sualties. The other picket, which 
mounted at the southward, was sta¬ 
tioned for the same purpose at the 
New mole. 

A schooner arrived from Faro on 
the 17th, with fruit, onions, and salt. 
In the evening, a flag of truce came 
from the enemy, in answer to ours of 
the preceding day. The day follow¬ 
ing, another boat arrived from Faro: 
she brought a packet, with some pri¬ 
vate letters from Lisbon, which inti¬ 
mated the probability of our receiving 
a visit from the combined fleet, then 
cruising off Cadiz. At night several 
guns were heard in the Gut, and a 
number of signals made at the point. 
The succeeding morning, his Ma¬ 
jesty’s cutter the Kite arrived from 
England, with duplicates of the He¬ 
lena’s dispatches. In her passage she 
engaged a French cutter of 20 guns, 
and had three men killed and six 
wounded. The enemy’s cruisers en¬ 
deavoured to intercept her, but were 
driven to leeward. A boat also ar¬ 
rived about the same time from Por¬ 
tugal. 

The firing from the garrison now 
varied according as the enemy’s par¬ 
ties presented themselves: at this pe¬ 
riod they were busy in repairing Fort 
St. Philip, and in securing their works 
against the approaching rainy season. 
Our engineers were repairing the com¬ 
munications and batteries at Willis’s, 
&c. A soldier of the 73rd deserted to 
the enemy the 25th: he had been 
absent from his corps five days, during 
which time he had concealed himself 
on the rock. Hunger probably press¬ 
ing him, he determined to make a 
bold attempt to get off: accordingly 
stuffing a sand-bag with grass, he 
came to Landport, and placing, unob¬ 
served, the bag upon the spikes of the 
palisades, jumped, unhurt, on the 
glacis; then running over the cause- 






1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


85 


way, he soon cleared Bay-side barrier, 
and, though many hundred rounds of 
musketry were fired from Landport and 
the Lines guards, he escaped. He was 
the fourth man lost by desertion in the 
course of six weeks. 

Early the 27th, four men, who had 
been impressed from a privateer in the 
bay, deserted from the Repulse prame. 
The next morning we were visited 
again by the gun and mortar boats; 
but they scarcely staid one-third of 
their former time. We returned 9 
shot and 58 shells, which, from the 
shrieks and piteous cries we heard, 
must have done execution. We an¬ 
noyed them in camp from the Old 
mole, as usual; and the artillery at¬ 
tempted to reach them from Willis’s, 
but in vain. In this attack a wounded 
matross was killed by a shell in the 
hospital. The circumstances attending 
this man’s case are so melancholy and 
affecting, that I cannot pass them over 
in silence. Some time previous to this 
event, he had been so unlucky as to 
break his thigh : being a man of great 
spirits, he ill brooked the confinement 
which his case demanded, and exerted 
himself to get abroad, that he might 
enjoy the benefit of the fresh air in the 
court of the hospital: unfortunately, in 
one of his playful moments, he fell, 
and was obliged to take to his bed 
again. He was in this situation when 
a shell from the mortar boats fell into 
the ward, and rebounding, lodged upon 
him. The convalescents and sick, in 
the same room, instantly summoned 
strength to crawl out on bands and 
knees, while the fuse was burning; but 
this wretched victim was kept down 
by the weight of the shell, which, 
after some seconds, burst, took off both 
his legs, and scorched him in a dreadful 
manner: but, what was still more 
horrid, he survived the explosion, and 
was sensible to the very moment that 
death relieved him from his misery. 
His last words were expressive of re¬ 
gret that he had not been killed on the 
batteries. 

The enemy’s attention to the block¬ 
ade seemed now to be revived. Their 
cruisers were increased, and constantly 
on the watch. The force in the bay 


at this time was one ship of the line, a 
xebeque having a broad pendant, a fri¬ 
gate, and five xebeques, with the gun 
and mortar boats, and small armed 
craft. The arrangement of these ves¬ 
sels for the purpose of blockading the 
garrison appeared to be as follows :— 
When the wind was west, two xe¬ 
beques and four gun-boats anchored at 
Cabrita Point, cruising at night at the 
entrance of the bay and in the straits; 
when easterly, the frigate, xebeques, 
and four gun-boats cruised some be¬ 
tween Ceuta and Europa, and others in 
the Gut; one xebeque was generally 
observed to lie-to off Europa Point, at 
the entrance of the bay. Though this 
disposition apparently obstructed all 
intercourse between the garrison and 
our friends in Portugal and Minorca, 
yet opportunities sometimes occurred 
when boats slipped out unobserved, and 
returned with the same success. 

The evening of the 30th, the enemy’s 
cannonade, which, except when the 
boats fired on our camp, seldom ex¬ 
ceeded three shells in the 24 hours, 
was pretty smart for an hour or two, 
occasioned by our firing on their work¬ 
ing parties. Such starts of retaliation 
they were often provoked to by our an¬ 
noying their workmen in the batteries. 

The prames had be’en found so use¬ 
ful that, in the beginning of September, 
the navy began to fit up the Fortune 
sloop, in order to add to their number. 
The 5th, a flag of truce from the enemy 
brought over- Pratts, an inhabit¬ 

ant of Gibraltar, who had been taken 
by the Spaniards in the Fox packet, 
about 12 months before, and whom, as 
it was said, the enemy for some time 
had objected to exchange. By this 
man we were informed that the Due 
de Crillon, with 10,000 men, had 
landed at Minorca, and that it was 
reported he was to be joined by a 
French army from Toulon. The even¬ 
ing of the 7th, the captain at Willis’s 
again endeavoured to set fire to the 
weeds, &c. in the gardens, which, from 
their height, afforded great cover to 
the enemy’s advanced sentries; and in 
executing these orders a brisk can¬ 
nonade was returned by the enemy, 
which continued till daybreak. Our 






86 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. V. 


carcasses and light balls frequently 
took effect, but the canes were too green 
to be burnt to any purpose. In the 
course of this firing, several shot from 
the lines ranged as far as the South 
barracks and New mole. Great num¬ 
bers of gabions were now observed in 
the enemy’s fascine park. 

The evening of the 12th, they fired 
a grand salute from their lines and 
shipping, and a feu-de-joie in camp. 
After the salute, they continued to can¬ 
nonade from the lines, though for some 
days before they had only fired their 
mystical number, three, in the 24 hours. 
We imagined this salute to be on ac¬ 
count of the Due de Crillon having 
gained some advantage at Minorca. 
In the course of their firing, on the 
15th, a circumstance happened similar 
to one which occurred in May, and 
both of them may be considered as ex¬ 
traordinary. A shell from the lines 
fell upon the rock, above the Red sands, 
and glanced off in a direction nearly at 
right angles with its range: it rolled 
to the bottom of the Princess of Wales’s 
lines, burst on the platform of one of 
the 32 -pounders, and a splinter cutting 
the apron of the gun, fired it off. The 
shot took away the railing at the foot 
of the glacis, and lodged in the line- 
wall near Ragged Staff. 

We observed, on the 16th, that the 
enemy, during the preceding night, 
had thrown up three banks of sand in 
zigzags, beginning at the centre of the 
fourth branch of approach, which 
seemed intended as a line of direction 
for a new communication to the St. 
Carlos’s battery. In the evening, 
the governor ordered the artillery 
to direct a brisk fire on this work, 
which was continued till daybreak 
of the 17th. The enemy returned 
the fire reluctantly, from a wish, 
as we imagined, not to increase 
ours. The next morning, we observed 
they had retained the sand thrown up 
the preceding night with casks; and 
from the materials seen in the vicinity 
of the works, other additions seemed 
intended to be made. At night, Crou- 
chett’s howitzer battery and Montague’s 
bastion were opened, and, with Willis’s, 
&c., were kept constantly going. About 


midnight the gun-boats, attended by a 
bomb-ketch, as we conjectured, came 
over, and, contrary to their former 
practice, directed their fire towards 
Willis’s, the lines, and north end of the 
town. So determined were they to 
land their shells, that one went over 
the rock, and many fell on the hill; 
and, in attempting to imitate us in 
bursting their shells in the air, several 
exploded in their mortars. They staid 
two hours and a half, and expended 
130 shells and 87 shot, and their land 
batteries were not so sparing as the 
night before. We returned a smart 
fire on both sea and land, and retaliated 
on their camp, as usual. 

A shell, during the above attack, 
fell in an embrasure opposite the King’s 
lines bomb-proof, killed one of the 
73rd, and wounded another of the 
same corps. The case of the latter 
was singular, and will serve to enforce 
the maxim, that, even in the most dan¬ 
gerous cases, we should never despair 
of a recovery whilst life remains. This 
unfortunate man was knocked down by 
the wind of the shell, which, instantly 
bursting, killed his companion, and 
mangled him in a most dreadful man¬ 
ner. His head was terribly fractured, 
his left arm broken in two places, one 
of his legs shattered, the skin and 
muscles torn off part of his right hand, 
the middle finger broken to pieces, and 
his whole body most severely bruised, 
and marked with gunpowder. He pre¬ 
sented so horrid an object to the sur¬ 
geons, that they had not the smallest 
hopes of saving his life, and were at a 
loss what part to attend to first. He was 
that evening trepanned, a few days after¬ 
wards his leg was amputated, and other 
wounds and fractures dressed. Being 
possessed of a most excellent consti¬ 
tution, nature performed wonders in his 
favour, and in eleven weeks the cure 
was completely effected. His name is 
Donald Ross, and he long continued to 
enjoy his sovereign’s bounty in a pen¬ 
sion of 9d. a day for life. A non-com¬ 
missioned officer of artillery also lost 
his thigh on Montague’s bastion ; and a 
private of the 12th regiment both his 
legs: the latter died soon after the am¬ 
putation was performed. 





1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


87 


The morning of the 18th, a deserter 
from the Spanish guards came in from 
the St. Carlos’s battery. He was pursued 
by four of the enemy, but in vain. He 
gave information of the enemy’s inten¬ 
tion to erect some new batteries. About 
ten o’clock in the evening, a shell from 
the lines fell into a house opposite the 
King’s bastion, where the town-major, 
Captain Burke, with Majors Mercier 
and Vignoles, of the 39th regiment, 
were sitting. The shell took off Major 
Burke’s thigh, afterwards fell through 
the floor into the cellar; there it burst, 
and forced the flooring, with the unfor¬ 
tunate major, to the ceiling. When 
assistance came, they found Major 
Burke almost buried amongst the ruins 
of the room. He was instantly con¬ 
veyed to the hospital, where he died 
soon after the wounded part was am¬ 
putated, much lamented by his friends 
as an amiable and worthy member of 
society, and by the governor as an 
indefatigable officer. Majors Mercier 
and Vignoles had time to escape be¬ 
fore the shell burst: they were never¬ 
theless slightly wounded by the splin¬ 
ters; as were a serjeant of the 39th, 
and his daughter, who were in the cel¬ 
lar underneath when the shell entered. 
This house had escaped almost un¬ 
touched duriug the warmest period of 
the bombardment, till this unfortunate 
shell fell in, which deprived the garri¬ 
son of this active and valuable officer. 

The enemy did not increase their 
works the succeeding day, but de¬ 
bouched the fourth branch of the ap¬ 
proach about the centre. In the even¬ 
ing, the Helena and Kite, with a 
privateer, left the bay for England, 
and a schooner for Portugal. Lieut. 
Lowe, of the 12th, who had lost his 
leg, and the invalids, went home in the 
former. Our firing was increased at 
night by the Catalan batteries; and 
Crouchett’s was still kept open. The 
20th, Captain Fowlis, of the 73rd, was 
appointed town-major. 

Our working parties were employed 
by the engineers, on the 21st, in re¬ 
pairing Princess Caroline’s battery, at 
Willis’s, which, owing to the spirited 
behaviour and example of the officers, 
was cleared, the caissons placed, filled, 


and the battery completed, before night, 
under a most heavy fire from the 
enemy. When the work was finished, 
the party desired to give three cheers, 
but they were overruled by the captain 
of artillery, who recommended to salute 
the enemy with three rounds from each 
gun; which was immediately put in 
execution. The party had not a man 
materially hurt during the warm can¬ 
nonade ; but, in returning to be dis¬ 
missed, a serjeant of La Motte’s, who 
had braved the dangers of the day, was 
killed by a random shot below the 
artillery guard. Our firing continued 
with great vivacity on the 22nd, parti¬ 
cularly with small shells from the 
Royal battery, Willis’s, and Montague’s 
bastion. These were kept going in the 
day; and at night these batteries, with 
the Catalans, Crouchett’s, and batteries 
at the entrance of the lines, were in 
action. The enemy, in return, were 
not sparing of ammunition : in the pre¬ 
ceding 24 hours they fired 775 shot, 
and 57 shells. The garrison discharged 
773 rounds of different species. 

The enemy’s new works were erected 
with casks, covered and retained by 
fascines, with sand in the front. About 
200 men appeared to be employed in 
the day; but they were often compelled 
to retire, our ordnance was so well 
served and directed. The gun-boats, 
on the morning of the 24th, visited us 
as usual; and it was thought that a 
bomb-ketch again attended them. They 
pointed their fire principally towards 
the Victualling-office, in town, and 
Willis’s: some shells fell in the New 
mole, but few ashore at the southward. 
We returned their fire, and retaliated 
from the Old mole on their camp. 

Early in the morning of the 25th, 
the fascine capping of the merlons of 
Fort Barbara took fire from the enemy’s 
guns, and burnt extremely fierce. The 
officer at Willis’s immediately directed 
a brisk fire on the fort, which the go¬ 
vernor afterwards increased by opening 
the Grand battery. The firing, how¬ 
ever, from the latter did not answer so 
well as was expected, owing, perhaps, 
to the unevenness of the platforms, 
which were of stone, and much worn. 
Nevertheless, the enemy were obliged 




88 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. V. 


to evacuate the fort without extinguish¬ 
ing the fire. At daybreak we saw only 
five fascine merlons standing; the other 
seven were all destroyed, with some 
gun-carriages, traverses on the ram¬ 
part, and fascine-work in the ditch. 
We imagined that this accident would 
render the fort useless for some time ; 
but they convinced us that our conclu¬ 
sions were premature, by firing, pro¬ 
bably out of bravado, a few shot in the 
course of the day, which killed one of 
the 58th, and wounded another. In 
the morning, about seven, the Flying- 
fish cutter, of 20 guns, arrived with 
ordnance stores and intrenching tools; 
she informed us that government had 
engaged 20 cutters, of her force, for 
the same purpose. A xebeque and four 
gun-boats opposed her passage, but in 
vain. 

The 26th, Lieut. Clarke, of the 56th, 
died of a decline. In the course of the 
day, the enemy began to clear Fort 
Barbara, and in the evening to lay 
fascines (a great number of which were 
in the neighbourhood of the fort) to¬ 
wards repairing it. Our fire continued 
to be well directed, and considerably 
annoyed them. The 27th, a man was 
discovered near Catalan bay, by the 
guard at Middle-hill. A party of the 
navy immediately went round, and 
took him up. He proved to be a de¬ 
serter from the 72nd regiment; but the 
wretch was so famished with hunger, 
and so bruised in getting down the 
rock, that his life was despaired of. 
The 28th, the enemy capped two mer¬ 
lons of Fort Barbara. Their parties 
were very diligent in making gabions 
and fascines; the former, we imagined, 
were removed, as they were finished, 
to the lines and advanced works, as we 
had observed several behind the fourth 
and fifth branches of the approach. 
This circumstance, with their unusual 
activity in completing others, confirmed 
our late intelligence, that they intended 
additional batteries near the St. Car¬ 
los’s. 

The firing from the garrison now 
exceeded 700 rounds in the 24 hours; 
and the enemy frequently returned 
800, and sometimes more. Our casual¬ 
ties consequently began again to be 


pretty frequent amongst our parties, 
which, in a great measure, was owing 
to the want of prudence in the men, 
who were become so habituated to the 
enemy’s fire as scarcely to regard their 
shot; and in fact, if a shell were at 
their feet, it was almost necessary for 
the officers to caution them to avoid its 
effects. It was really wonderful to 
behold with what undaunted coolness 
they persisted in their several occupa¬ 
tions, though exposed to the enemy’s 
whole artillery: indeed the generality 
appeared totally callous to every sense 
of danger. 

Both sides continued indefatigable in 
their operations. The enemy finished 
two or three merlons in Fort Barbara, 
erected traverses near the tower, in the 
rear of the new communication, and 
were continually bringing large quan¬ 
tities of fascines, &c. to the lines. On 
the other hand, our engineers caissoned 
the terrace batteries, replaced the sand¬ 
bags before the merlons of the Queen’s 
battery, and had parties daily employed 
in repairs. The 30th, a soldier of the 
72nd lost his legs by a shot from Fort 
Barbara, from which they continued 
occasionally to fire. He bore amputa¬ 
tion with prodigious firmness, but died 
soon after, through the loss of blood, 
previous to his being brought to the 
hospital. This fact being represented 
to the governor, the serjeants of the 
different regiments were ordered to at¬ 
tend the hospital, to be taught by the 
surgeons how to apply the tourniquets; 
which was afterwards productive of 
very beneficial consequences. Tourni¬ 
quets were also distributed to the dif¬ 
ferent guards, to be at hand in case of 
necessity. 

The enemy for several days had 
made very little addition to the new 
communication, and the third return 
appeared still unfinished. A party of 
the enemy was however discovered 
from Willis’s, on the evening of the 
1st of October, working to the west of 
the St. Carlos battery; and they per¬ 
sisting in their labour, our fire was in¬ 
creased from the batteries below, which 
brought on a warm return. At day¬ 
break we observed, at the extremity of 
the new approach, a large epaulment. 




1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


89 


of forty-five gabions long, two in height, 
and four or five in breadth. On the 
top were several layers of sand-bags, 
and sand was banked up to protect it 
in front. It was situated within the 
western place d’armes of the St. Car¬ 
los’s battery, towards the beach, in a 
direction forming a very obtuse angle 
with the front of the above battery. 
Our engineers immediately agreed that 
this epaulment was intended for mor¬ 
tars ; which induced the governor, in 
the course of the 2nd, to order two 
embrasures (masked at the Old mole 
head, to cover the mortars which we 
usually fired into their camp) to be 
opened, and two howitzers to be kept 
in action from thence. At night, our 
firing at intervals was so astonishingly 
brisk, that the whole north front, from 
the rock gun to the Mole head, was 
obscured in smoke. This fire was con¬ 
tinued, with little intermission, till 
daybreak; and though the enemy did 
not return it warmly, they made up for 
their silence the succeeding day. Dur¬ 
ing the 24 hours they discharged 1263 
rounds, and the preceding day 1948; 
which to us was a proof that they were 
considerably galled by our fire. 

We had observed, for some weeks, 
a party of the enemy erecting a build¬ 
ing upon an eminence near the stone 
quarry, under the Queen of Spain’s 
Chair, which at length turned out to be 

I a signal tower; but no use was made 
of it till the beginning of this month, 
when we discovered that it was in¬ 
tended to give information to their 
batteries in the lines when our work¬ 
ing-parties were going up the hill. On 
their marching up, the morning of the 
3rd, a signal was made from the tower, 
and their batteries immediately in¬ 
creased their fire on the heights: on 
their return in the evening, the signal 
was repeated. This practice they con¬ 
tinued for some time. At night, the 
body of a soldier of the 12th regiment, 
who attempted to swim to the enemy 
from Waterport, was discovered float¬ 
ing near the Repulse prame. The 
sailors on the watch, imagining some 
large fish had got foul of their cable, 
darted a harpoon into the body, but 
soon found out their mistake. The 


succeeding morning, we observed that 
the enemy had thrown up a cover from 
the eastern shoulder of the new battery 
to the western magazine of the St. Car¬ 
los’s : they also raised a shoulder on the 
western extremity, and erected five tra¬ 
verses in the rear. 

Our firing, on the 4th, was ordered 
to be diminished; only Montague’s and 
the hill batteries were kept going: few 
shot were now used, as the enemy 
seemed to pay little attention to them ; 
and we had ocular proofs daily of the 
annoyance from the small shells, which 
immediately made them desist, and get 
under cover. The same day a mutiny 
was discovered on board his Majesty’s 
cutter the Speedwell, Lieut. Gibson; 
and four of the ringleaders were seized 
and confined. The plan of this con¬ 
spiracy was to murder the officers of 
the watch, cut the cable, and run away 
with the vessel to Algeziras, where they 
computed she would sell for a handsome 
sum, which was to be equally divided 
amongst the people interested, who were 
then to depart for England. Near 
half the crew were concerned; and the 
same evening, if the wind continued 
favourable, the scheme was to have 
been put in execution. Happily one of 
the party (I believe a Spanish deserter) 
confessed in time to render the whole 
abortive. It was somewhat singular 
that Mr. Gibson had been so unfor¬ 
tunate, when in England, as to have the 
cutter he then commanded run away 
with by the crew into a French port, 
whilst he and his officers were ashore. 

The enemy, on the night of the 4th, 
threw up a line of casks and sand, ex¬ 
tending upwards of 60 feet in a paral¬ 
lel line to the front of St. Carlos’s. 
Some additions were also made to the 
new battery. The raising of the former 
work induced many to believe that 
they were come at last to the deter¬ 
mination of besieging the garrison in 
form ; and that this, with other works 
to be erected, would be the first paral¬ 
lel of attack. It was a lucky circum¬ 
stance, in some respects, to have an 
enemy so tardy in their operations. 
Our troops were now accustomed, by 
six months’ bombardment, to the dis¬ 
charge and effect of heavy artillery: 









90 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. t. 


their firing had pointed out our weak 
places, which the governor and engi¬ 
neers had been indefatigable in strength¬ 
ening, so that the garrison was now 
really in a better state of defence than 
at the commencement of the bombard¬ 
ment In the nights of the 5th and 6th, 
the parallel, as we called the line to the 
east, was extended about 100 feet, and 
the new mortar battery raised with 
fascines. Small traverses were also 
made in the rear of the new approach 
from the fourth branch. 

The gun and mortar boats had now 
been absent some time; probably ow¬ 
ing to the repairs which the mortar 
boats necessarily demanded. On the 
evening of the 7th they, however, re¬ 
newed their visit, much earlier than 
was customary, and staid upwards of 
two hours. Their shot seemed all di¬ 
rected at our prames, whilst their 
shells, the fuses of which were remark¬ 
ably dark, were thrown ashore. They 
fired about 300 shot and 23 shells, 
killed one of the 73rd, and wounded 
two of the 12th. We returned 43 
shot, 16 grape, and 279 shells. The 
8th, two mortars were mounted in the 
new mortar battery; and from the 
pickets marked for the platforms, we 
concluded it would mount eight mor¬ 
tars. In the afternoon a shell fell into 
a house in town, in which Ensign 
Stephens, of the 39th, was sitting : 
imagining himself not safe where he 
was, he quitted the room to get to a 
more secure place; but just as he passed 
the door the shell burst, and a splinter 
mortally wounded him in the reins, and 
another took off his leg. He was con¬ 
veyed to the hospital, and had suffered 
amputation before the surgeons dis¬ 
covered the mortal wound in his body. 
He died about seven o’clock, much re¬ 
gretted as a promising young officer. 

The enemy’s parties appearing nu¬ 
merous within the new works, our 
firing from the garrison was increased 
on the llth, and was as briskly re¬ 
turned. The governor, however, or¬ 
dered the artillery to be less profuse 
in future, unless some casualty de¬ 
manded an additional fire ; for their 
loss, he was of opinion, bore no pro¬ 
portion to our expenditure. Our small 


shells were also decreasing very fast; 
and the enemy appeared too well 
covered with traverses in the new works 
to be much annoyed by them. The 
succeeding day our fire scarcely ex¬ 
ceeded a hundred rounds; and the ene¬ 
my’s was equally diminished. 

Their naval force before Gibraltar 
at this time was rather insignificant, 
though perfectly sufficient for the block¬ 
ade. Most of their xebeques had left 
the station, as we imagined, to block 
up Mahon ; and only one line-of-battle 
ship, one frigate, one xebeque, and two 
bomb-ketches, with the small craft and 
gun-boats, remained in the bay. The 
13th, the governor ordered our lower 
batteries to be silent, in order to prove 
whether the enemy could be diverted 
from firing on the town, as their bat¬ 
teries, contrary to the usual practice of 
besiegers, seemed to be guided in a 
great measure by ours ; and the man¬ 
oeuvre had the desired effect. Their 
parties were now employed chiefly in 
finishing the interior part of the new 
mortar battery. 

The garrison, on the 15th, fired only 
forty rounds; and the enemy did not 
exceed double the number. The night 
of the 18th, they were heard hard at 
work; but this circumstance produced 
no additional fire from us, as our artil¬ 
lery had been limited to a certain 
quantity since the governor ordered 
the firing to decrease. The subsequent 
morning we observed they had erected 
a battery, of six embrasures, joining 
the second branch of the new com¬ 
munication, and bearing on Waterport 
and the town, about 1200 yards from 
the Grand battery: only four merlons 
appeared finished; the other three 
were in a rude state, with a number of 
fascines, pickets, and planks lying about 
the work, and at the debouchure of the 
fourth branch. The governor, in the 
morning of the 19th, ordered a warm 
fire on the new battery, which the enemy 
instantly returned. One of our car¬ 
casses set fire to the first branch of the 
new approach, and it burnt for some 
time. The following morning we 
found they had removed the sand to 
extinguish the fire, and displaced 
many of the fascines, which, with other 





1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


91 


materials, were lying in a confused 
manner in the vicinity of the breach. 

The night of the 20th, we were 
visited by the gun-boats; but their 
stay was much shorter than usual, 
owing to the springing up of a brisk 
easterly wind: one of their shells 
slightly wounded Assistant - engineer 
Evans. This attack, we imagined, was 
intended to engage our attention from 
the land side, where the enemy were 
heard busily at work ; it had not, how¬ 
ever, that effect, as our batteries di¬ 
rected an additional fire, and continued 
it the whole night. At daybreak we 
found they had repaired the breach 
made by the fire, and strengthened the 
merlons of their gun battery with 
gabions and sand heaped up in front. 

The situation of this battery afforded 
a more serious appearance than any 
operations yet undertaken by the ene¬ 
my. Colonel Tovey, the commandant 
of artillery, therefore recommended to 
the governor to open upon it, without 
loss of time, from such heavy guns and 
howitzers as might be soon brought to 
bear upon it; assisted, at the same 
time, with some thirteen-inch shells, and 
a few red-hot shot from an eighteen- 
pounder or two. The following morn¬ 
ing the enemy had almost completed 
the battery; the governor was there¬ 
fore induced to comply with the repre¬ 
sentation of Colonel Tovey, and ordered 
the upper batteries, &c. to be opened 
on the enemy’s works, and to continue 
to fire from his direction. About four 
o’clock in the afternoon of the 22nd 
(a captain and two subalterns, with the 
artillery picket, manning the lower 
batteries) the firing commenced, and 
was continued with unremitting spirit 
and regularity the remainder of the 
evening and night. The enemy, in 
return, discharged repeated volleys from 
their lines; but to little purpose. Our 
artillery soon drove them from the 
battery, which frequently was set on 
fire by the carcasses, but extinguished. 
On the morning of the 23rd we had 
the mortification to find, that, notwith¬ 
standing the heavy fire kept up on it in 
the night, five of the embrasures were 
masked with sand-bags, to enable the 
whole better to resist the effect of our 


shells. The work was nevertheless 
considerably damaged, though not in a 
degree equal to our expense in am¬ 
munition. The firing at noon was 
therefore ordered to cease, as we had 
expended 1596 shot, 530 shells (most 
of a heavy nature), 10 carcasses, and 
2 light balls. It must appear almost 
incredible, that a battery at such a dis¬ 
tance should be able to resist such 
heavy ordnance, without being levelled 
to the ground; but indeed few works 
were ever erected so strong and com¬ 
pact. The St. Carlos’s battery was 
silent the whole time; and from the 
lines they returned 1012 shot and 302 
shells. Our loss was not very great; 
but on the enemy’s side, many were 
observed to fall, and several to be 
carried into the lines ; their gallantry, 
we may therefore imagine, cost them 
dear. 

The succeeding night they repaired 
the damage done by our fire, and 
erected two traverses in the rear of the 
gun battery; it is probable they were 
working also on the platforms; and 
during the two following nights they 
strengthened it with other additions. 
The 25th the enemy’s fire was rather 
singular. In the afternoon, about 
nine, their batteries, for near an hour 
and a half, discharged repeated salvos 
from both cannon and mortars; not 
directing their fire to any particular 
object, but scattering their shot in every 
direction towards the garrison, and 
bursting the shells principally in the 
air. In the afternoon, about three, this 
mode of firing was repeated, and con¬ 
tinued nearly the same time. The 
26th, Lieutenant Vicars, of the 56th, 
was slightly wounded in the lines. 

The night of the 29th, a brisk can¬ 
nonade was heard towards the west; 
and soon after, by the moon, we dis¬ 
covered a cutter engaging a frigate, a 
xebeque, and several gun-boats. The 
cutter answered a signal made by the 
Brilliant at the commencement of the 
action, by which we knew her to be a 
friend. After the engagement had 
continued very warm for a consider¬ 
able time, the firing ceased, and she 
was obliged to submit to so superior a 
force. The succeeding night, the Uni- 









92 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. V. 


corn cutter arrived, and four boats from 
Faro; the former informed us, that she 
parted company with several cutters 
bound for Gibraltar. The fruit, &c. 
brought in the Portuguese boats, was 
immediately purchased by the gover¬ 
nor, for the use of the sick in the 
hospitals; and some of the crew were 
confined, being suspected to come as 
spies. The 31st, the enemy’s engineers 
were observed placing pickets to the 
westward of the six-gun battery; ap¬ 
parently with a view of extending that 
work. Since our last attack upon it, 
the firing on both sides was much 
diminished. In the course of the 
mouth, three men deserted from the 
garrison. 

The night of the 2nd of November, 
the signal was made for the approach 
of the enemy’s gun and mortar boats, 
which for some time had not paid us 
the regular visits they formerly did; 
owing, as I have remarked before, to 
the repairs which the boats must neces¬ 
sarily demand; but the Vanguard and 
Repulse prames firing several shot, they 
retired. The 3rd, the Fortune prame, 
mounting five twenty-six pounders, 
was towed out, and moored to the 
southward of the Vanguard. The 
next day, about seven in the evening, 
13 gun and 6 mortar boats fired briskly 
upon the garrison, seconded by the 
lines; they stayed near an hour and a 
half, and threw a vast number of shells; 
but few were directed towards our 
camp. Lieutenant John Frazer, of the 
73rd, had his leg shot off on Monta¬ 
gue’s bastion ; and Lieutenant Edgar, 
of the 56th, was wounded with splin¬ 
ters of stones. Two of the 58th and 
73rd were likewise wounded. The 
enemy continued, on the 6th and 7th, 
to make some few alterations, and col¬ 
lect fascines, gabions, and other mate¬ 
rials at their lines, and various parts 
of the approaches. The parallel they 
also strengthened; but the six-gun 
battery still remained masked with 
sand-bags. 

As it appeared of greater conse¬ 
quence, at this period, to annoy the 
enemy from the Queen’s battery at the 
Old mole head, which formed an excel¬ 
lent cross-fire with the other batteries, 


than to fire into their camp, the mor¬ 
tars used for the latter purpose were 
removed, and the masked embrasures 
at the extremity, with two others ad¬ 
joining, were ordered to be opened, 
and so altered as to admit of four 
howitzers bearing on the new battery. 
During the night of the 11th, the 
enemy erected an additional battery of 
six embrasures, westward of the other, 
where the pickets were observed at the 
close of last month. This work was 
retired a few yards, but joined the ex¬ 
tremity of the shoulder of the old bat¬ 
tery, and extended almost in the same 
direction towards the beach. It ap¬ 
peared very strong, and seemed to be 
intended against the Old mole head 
and Waterport. 

During the night of the 12th, many 
signals were made in the Gut and 
along the coast. In the morning we 
observed a cutter standing for the bay: a 
xebeque and three gun-boats attempted 
to intercept her, but she got in without 
firing a gun. She was called the Phoe¬ 
nix, and was laden, on government ac¬ 
count, with ordnance stores. Colonel 
Ross, who had left the garrison some 
months before, was a passenger, and 
returned to take the command of his 
regiment, the 72nd, or Royal Manches¬ 
ter Volunteers. The lieutenant who 
commanded the cutter, informed us 
that he parted company with two 
others, destined for the garrison, on 
the 11th; at which time one of them 
was engaged with two of the enemy’s 
cruisers. In the afternoon some sig¬ 
nals were made at Algeziras; and a 
cutter was observed standing in for 
the bay, chased by a frigate; whence 
we consequently concluded it must be 
one of the two mentioned by the Phoe¬ 
nix. At this time several gun-boats 
were cruising off Cabrita Point and at 
the entrance of the bay, waiting to in¬ 
tercept her. In the Straits the wind 
was W., but N. W. in the bay, and not 
very strong. About six in the evening 
she came up with the gun-boats and an 
armed xebeque: a smart engagement 
immediately commenced. Whilst she 
was retarded by these, a second division 
of gun-boats from Algeziras cut her 
off from the garrison; and the frigate 





1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


93 


coming up, after a most vigorous and 
resolute resistance, she struck. When 
she first appeared, six barges were or¬ 
dered from our frigates to assist her, 
and a signal was hoisted on board the 
Brilliant, which she answered. The 
boats rowed out a considerable way, 
and, the evening being dark, found 
themselves amongst the enemy’s gun¬ 
boats, from whom, with some difficulty, 
they extricated themselves. The sub¬ 
sequent morning we had the mortifi¬ 
cation to see the cutter towed into Al- 
geziras by five gun-boats, with colours 
flying, and other marks of exultation 
and triumph. 

The enemy about this time adopted 
the mode of cutting the fuses of their 
shells, so that most of them which 
were fired for a long range burst in the 
air. They continued their practice of 
making signals at the tower above the 
Quarry, whenever our parties were as¬ 
sembled, or appeared at work: and 
the shot were in general better directed 
than before; but their effects against 
the works were considerably weakened 
by pieces of junk hung over the mer¬ 
lons of the batteries. Our workmen 
were chiefly employed at Willis’s, in 
repairing the Tower battery, &c., and 
at the Old mole. Other detachments 
were also engaged in various duties on 
the north front. The night of the 
15th, the enemy lengthened the paral¬ 
lel considerably, and, the succeeding 
night, made further additions. In the 
forenoon of the 16th, a long-ranged 
shell, from the St. Carlos’s battery, 
burst in the air over Hardy Town, and 
a splinter of it flew into the sea, be¬ 
yond Buena Vista, a distance of more 
than three miles. Another shell fell, 
in the course of the morning, at the 
foot of a wine-house, south of the bar¬ 
racks ; and several burst high in the 
air over South shed. We attributed 
these uncommon long ranges to the 
force of the wind, which, blowing in 
the same direction in which the shells 
were thrown, undoubtedly increased 
their velocity. Mr. Tinling, assistant- 
engineer, was wounded the same day 
at Willis’s. A boat arrived on the 
18th from Faro : the crew were sepa¬ 
rately examined, before they were per¬ 


mitted the liberty of the garrison. 
The patron of this boat informed us, 
that seven cutters, destined for Gib¬ 
raltar, had been taken by the Spa¬ 
niards. 

Two deserters came in, about seven 
in the evening of the 20th; one a cor¬ 
poral, the other a private in the Walon 
guards. The former appeared to be 
very intelligent, and informed us of 
many circumstances with which we 
were not before acquainted. The new 
mortar battery, he said, was called St. 
Paschal’s; and corroborated our intel¬ 
ligence, that it mounted two mortars 
and six elevated guns. The two six- 
gun batteries were named St. Martin’s. 
He further acquainted us, that the 
camp was principally composed of mi¬ 
litia regiments: that the men were 
much dissatisfied with their situation, 
and greatly harassed in raising the ad¬ 
ditional batteries: that they had suf¬ 
fered lately very severe losses from our 
fire; particularly instancing the 22nd 
and 23rd of the preceding month, when 
7 officers and 80 men were killed and 
wounded. One of the latter was an 
engineer of rank, who died three days 
afterwards. We had remarked, in the 
course of the above firing, an officer to 
be particularly active, which we now 
found to be this engineer: he braved, 
for a considerable time, the dangers of 
the day, but at length fell, and was 
carried off. This deserter gave the 
governor further information, respect¬ 
ing the strength and arrangement of 
their guards; and the next morning 
was conducted to Willis’s, where he 
described to him various parts of the 
enemy’s works and camp. It had al¬ 
ways been customary for the governor 
to detain the deserters at the convent 
a few days, till he was sufficiently in¬ 
formed of every particular; but these 
he immured so close, that, excepting 
some general information, the garrison 
had an opportunity of learning but 
few circumstances, till an event took 
place, which will presently be related. 

The firing from both sides varied as 
objects offered. Many of the enemy’s 
shells ranged as far as the South bar¬ 
racks ; and others, agreeably to their 
newly-adopted plan, burst in the air. 






94 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. v. 


The morning of the 22nd, a soldier of 
the 58th regiment, who had been missing 
several days, was seen to go into Fort 
Barbara, from behind the rock. The 
following day the enemy mounted guns 
in the St. Martin’s battery; and a party 
was employed in completing the six 
eastern embrasures, which were now 
unmasked. We kept upon them our 
usual fire of small shells from Willis’s 
and the upper batteries; but the lower 
ordnance were silent. In the course 
of the day the governor reconnoitred 
the enemy’s works; and it was reported 
that all the batteries were to be again 
opened upon them, as soon as the four 
embrasures for the howitzers, at the 
Old mole head, were completed. 

The night of the 23rd, the besiegers 
added to the parallel a return of cask- 
work to the west: it appeared very- 
slight and trifling. The two succeed¬ 
ing days, their parties were very ac¬ 
tive in finishing the batteries, which, 
on the 26th, exhibited a perfect and 
formidable appearance. This was 
the crisis which the governor con¬ 
sidered as proper to frustrate all their 
immediate views, by destroying these 
stupendous works, the construction of 
which had cost them such immense la¬ 
bour and expense. By the deserters 
who came in on the 20th instant, he 
was acquainted with the inactivity 
which prevailed throughout the ene¬ 
my’s camp, and with the strength of 
their advanced guards. Lulled into 
security by their superiority of force, 
they never suspected the garrison capa¬ 
ble of attempting so bold and hazard¬ 
ous a coup-de-main. The governor, 
however, secretly conceived this im¬ 
portant design, and never imparted his 
intention till the evening in which it 
was put in execution. 

The gates were no sooner shut, after 
first gun-firing, on the evening of the 
26th, than he ordered a considerable 
detachment to assemble on the Red 
sands at midnight, with devils, fire- 
faggots, and working implements, to 
make a sortie on the enemy’s batteries. 
The general, field, and other officers 
to be employed on this service, were 
convened in the interim, and the dis¬ 
position of attack communicated ; but, 


lest some matters might have escaped 

him in the multiplicity of arrangements, 
the governor desired every person to 
propose, without restraint, whatever 
would, in his or their opinion, further 
promote the success of the enterprise. 
The following are the heads of the 
orders issued on this occasion. 

“ Evening Garrison Orders. 

“ Gibraltar, Nov. 26, 1781. 

“ Countersign, Steady. 

“All the grenadiers and light in¬ 
fantry of the garrison, and all the men 
of the 12th and Hardenberg’s regi¬ 
ments, officers, and non-commissioned 
officers’now on duty, to be immediately 
relieved, and join their regiments: to 
form a detachment, consisting of the 
12th and Hardeuberg’s regiments com¬ 
plete, the grenadiers and light-infantry 
of all the other regiments (which are 
to be completed to their full establish¬ 
ment from the battalion companies); 

1 captain, 3 lieutenants, 10 non-com¬ 
missioned officers, and 100 artillery, 
and 3 engineers, 7 officers, and 12 
non-commissioned officers overseers, 
with 160 workmen from the line, 
and 40 workmen from the artificer 
company. Each man to have 36 
rounds of ammunition, with a good 
flint in his piece, and another in his 
pocket. No drums to go out, except¬ 
ing two with each of the regiments. 
No volunteers will be allowed. The 
whole to be commanded by Brigadier- 
General Ross; and to assemble on the 
Red sands at twelve o’clock this night, 
to make a sortie upon the enemy’s bat¬ 
teries. The 39th and 58th regiments 
to parade at the same hour on the Grand 
parade, under the command of Briga¬ 
dier-General Picton, to sustain the 
sortie if necessary.” 

These were the principal orders for 
forming the detachment. At midnight 
the whole were assembled, and being 
joined by 100 sailors, commanded by 
Lieuts. Muckle and Campbell, R.N., 
the detachment was divided into three 
columns, agreeably to the following 
disposition. 




1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


96 


Left Column. 
Lieut.-Col. Trigge. 


o. s. d. r. ty f 

72nd grenadiers 4 5 0 101 

72nd It. infantry 4 5 0 101 

"SKS"}* ioo 

Artillery .... 1 4 0 35 

12 th regiment 26 28 2 430 

58th It. infantry 3 3 0 57 


Centre Column. 
Lieut.-Col. Dachenhausen 
and Major Maxwell. 
The Reserve. 


39th grenadiers 
39th It. infantry 
73rd grenadiers 
73rd It. infantry 
Engineer with \ 
workmen . . J 

Artillery. 2 

56 th grenadier 3 
58th grenadiers 3 


s. r.Uff. 
3 57 
3 57 
5 101 
5 101 


6 14 150 

4 40 
3 57 
3 57 


41 48 2 824 


28 40 620 


Right Column. 
Lieut.-Col. Hugo. 


Reden’s grena -1 Q 
diers . . . . $ 
La Motte’s gre- ) q 
nadiers. . . . ) 
Engineer with!. 

workmen... J 
Artillery .... 1 


s. d.r.tff. 
7 0 71 


7 0 71 


6 0 
2 0 

Hardenberg’s 1 1R 04 o 
regiment. . ) 15 & ~ 
56th It. infantry 3 3 0 


50 

25 

296 

57 


30 59 2 570 


In these columns, Brigadier Ross, and several officers who accompanied him 
as aides-de-camp, are not included, which will explain the difference between 
them and the annexed summary of the whole force of the garrison at this time. 


*0 • s 
g 2 
§3.2,1 
• 5.8 4 ? §* 

Total out with the sortie 1 3 3 26 

Sick in hospital. 000 1 

Remaining in garrison . 5 5 5 45 


. B i£ J3 w to 

B '(3 ? c3 o • a 

£ si | .« 

£ 5 tg* *: § «« §j 

S cn 


-3 W O 
60 14 0 

1 1 0 
71 31 3 


* r 

3 0 0 2 147 4 19141 

0 0 0 0 28 6 557 

7 8 9 14 266 181 2531 


Exclusive of the sailors 
from the frigates. 


Total streugth of the 

garrison before the \ 6 8 8 78 132 46 3 10 8 9 16 441 191 5002 Total strength. 5952. 
sortie.) 


The detachment being formed in 
three lines, the right column in the 
rear, and the left in the front, tools for 
demolishing the works were delivered 
to the workmen, and the following di¬ 
rections for their destination communi¬ 
cated to the principal officers. 

“ The right column to lead and 
march through Forbes’s barrier, for the 
extremity of the parallel; keeping the 
eastern fences of the gardens close on 
their left. The centre immediately to 
follow, marching through Bay-side bar¬ 
rier, and directing their route through 
the gardens for the mortar batteries. 
The left column to bring up the rear, 
marching along the strand for the gun 
batteries. No person to advance before 
the front, unless ordered by the officer 
commanding the column: and the 
most profound silence to be observed, 
as the success of the enterprise may de¬ 
pend thereon. The 12th and Harden¬ 
berg’s regiments to form in front of the 
works, as sustaining corps; and are to 
detach to the right and left, as occasion 


may require. The reserve to take 
post in the farthest gardens. When 
the works are carried, the attacking 
troops are to take up their ground in 
the following manner. The grenadiers 
of Reden’s and La Motte’s behind the 
parallel; the 39th and 73rd flank com¬ 
panies along the front of the fourth 
branch; and the 72nd grenadiers and 
light infantry with their right to the 
fourth branch, and left to the beach.” 

By the time the destination of the 
columns was made known to the differ¬ 
ent officers, and other arrangements had 
taken place, the morning of the 27th 
was far advanced; and as the moon 
had then nearly finished her nightly 
course, the detachment, about a quarter 
before three o’clock, began its march, 
by files from the right of the rear line 
for the attack. Although nothing 
could exceed the silence and attention 
of the troops, the enemy’s advanced 
sentries discovered the right column 
before they passed Forbes’s barrier, 
and after challenging, fired upon them. 













96 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. V. 


Lieut.-Col. Hugo, finding they were 
alarmed, immediately formed the at¬ 
tacking corps, and pushed on at a brisk 
pace for the extremity of the parallel ; 
there finding no opposition, he took 
possession, and the pioneers began to 
dismantle the works. Part of Harden- 
berg’s regiment, which was attached to 
this column, mistook the route of the 
grenadiers, owing to the darkness of 
the morning; and in pursuing their 
own, found themselves, before they dis¬ 
covered their error, in front of the St. 
Carlos’s battery. In this dilemma, no 
other alternative offered but pressing 
forwards, which they gallantly did, 
after receiving the enemy’s fire. Upon 
mounting the parapet, the enemy pre¬ 
cipitately retreated, and with great dif¬ 
ficulty they descended the stupendous 
work, forming with their left to the 
tower. They were thus situated, 
when Lieut.-Col. Dachenhausen, at the 
head of the 39th flank companies, en¬ 
tered the St. Carlos’s battery, and na¬ 
turally mistaking them for his oppo¬ 
nents, fired, and wounded several. Fur¬ 
ther mischief was however prevented 
by the countersign; and the Hano¬ 
verians joined the remainder of their 
corps, which now formed en potence, in 
front of the parallel. The 73rd flank 
companies were equally successful in 
their attacks; and Lieut.-Col. Trigge, 
with the grenadiers, and light company 
of the 72nd regiment, carried the gun 
batteries with great gallantry. The 
ardour of the assailants was irresistible. 
The enemy on every side gave way, 
abandoning in an instant, and with the 
utmost precipitation, those works which 
had cost them so much expense, and 
employed so many months to perfect 
When our troops had taken posses¬ 
sion, the attacking corps formed, agree¬ 
ably to their orders, to repel any 
attempt which the enemy might make 
to prevent the destruction of the works, 
whilst the 12th regiment took post in 
front of the St. Carlos’s battery, to sus¬ 
tain the western attack; and the re¬ 
serve, under Major Maxwell, drew up 
in the farther gardens. The exertions 
of the workmen and artillery were 
wonderful. The batteries were soon in 
a state for the fire-faggots to operate; 


and the flames spread with astonishing 
rapidity into every part. The column 
of fire and smoke which rolled from 
the works, beautifully illuminated the 
troops and neighbouring objects, form¬ 
ing altogether a coup-d’oeil not possible 
to be described. 

In an hour the object of the sortie 
was fully effected; and trains being 
laid to the magazines, Brigadier Ross 
ordered the advanced corps to with¬ 
draw, and the sustaining regiments to 
cover their retreat: but, by some over¬ 
sight, the barrier at Forbes’s was 
locked, after the flank companies had 
returned ; which might have proved of 
serious consequences to Hardenberg’s 
regiment, as they were, from that cir¬ 
cumstance, under the necessity of fol¬ 
lowing the 12th regiment through 
Bay-side barrier.* 

Several small quantities of powder 
took fire whilst the detachment was on 
its retreat; and just as the rear had got 
within the garrison, the principal ma¬ 
gazine blew up with a tremendous ex¬ 
plosion; throwing up vast pieces of 
timber, which, falling into the flames, 
added to the general conflagration. 
Although the enemy must have been 
early alarmed, not the smallest effort 
was made to save or avenge their works. 
The fugitives seemed to communicate 
a panic to the whole; and, instead of 
annoying our troops from the flanking 
forts, their artillery directed a ridicu¬ 
lous fire towards the town and our 
upper batteries, whence we continued a 
warm and well-served discharge of 
round shot on their forts and barrier. 
Only 2 officers and 16 privates were 
taken prisoners; and little opposition 
being made, very few were killed 
in the works. The guard, from the 
best information, consisted of one cap¬ 
tain, three subalterns, and 74 privates, 
including the artillery. 

Thus was this important attack exe¬ 
cuted beyond the most sanguine expec- 


* It was not a little singular, that these two 
regiments, which at the memorable battle of 
Minden had fought by each other’s side, and, 
according to the natural course of events, 
could never expect to meet again, should be 
employed a second time on the same occasion, 
and be the only entire regiments out. 





1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


97 


tations of every one. The event chal¬ 
lenges greater admiration, when we 
reflect that the batteries were distant 
near three-quarters of a mile from the 
garrison, and only within a few hun¬ 
dred yards of a besieging enemy’s 
lines, mounting 135 pieces of heavy 
artillery. 

The detachment had four privates 
killed; Lieut. Tweedie, of the 12th 
regiment, with 24 non-commissioned 
and privates, wounded ; and one miss¬ 
ing, supposed to be left wounded on the 
batteries. Of this number, Harden- 
berg’s regiment had two killed and 12 
wounded. The ordnance spiked in the 
enemy’s works amounted to 10 13-inch 
mortars, and 18 26-pounders. 

General Eliott’s anxiety on the occa¬ 
sion would not permit him to wait the 
issue within the garrison; but, ac¬ 
quainting the lieutenant-governor with 
his intention, he accompanied the sortie, 
and expressed the highest approbation 
of their behaviour by the following 
public orders: that “ the bravery and 
conduct of the whole detachment, offi¬ 
cers, sailors, and soldiers, on the glo¬ 
rious occasion, surpassed his utmost ac¬ 
knowledgments.” 

Although the attack was not totally 
exempted from those little derange¬ 
ments which naturally attend night ex¬ 
peditions of this nature, yet, to the 
honour of the whole, neither musket, 
working-tool, nor other implement, was 
left behind : a volunteer indeed of the 
73rd regiment lost his kilt in the attack, 
which the governor being acquainted 
with, promised him a substitute in 
return; and not long afterwards pre¬ 
sented him with a commission in an es¬ 
tablished corps. When our troops en¬ 
tered the batteries, the written report 
of the commanding officer was found in 
one of the splinter-proofs, which, when 
the guard was relieved, was intended 


to have been sent to the Spanish ge¬ 
neral. The report expressed, that 
“ nothing extraordinary had happened,” 
which, it must be acknowledged, the 
captain had been a little premature in 
writing. 

Before the detachment returned from 
the neutral ground, Lieut.-Col. Tovey, 
of the artillery, died. He was suc¬ 
ceeded by Major Lewis in the com¬ 
mand of that department. 

The night of the 27th, the enemy 
were alarmed with an explosion in the 
ruins of their batteries; and imme¬ 
diately directed a smart discharge of 
musketry, with round and grape-shot, 
toward the spot. We imagined they 
suspected that we had made a second 
sally, to finish the destruction of what 
remained; and their error probably 
would have continued some time, had 
they not been undeceived by our throw¬ 
ing a shell amongst the ruins; after 
which they instantly ceased. By the 
number of lights seen in their camp, 
we had reason to conclude that their 
army assembled on the alarm. The 
enemy had not yet thought proper to 
take any measures toward extinguish¬ 
ing the flames, but avenged themselves 
by a brisk cannonade upon the town. 
In their camp several men were exe¬ 
cuted, who probably might be some of 
the unfortunate actors in the late dis¬ 
grace. The 30th, their batteries con¬ 
tinued burning in five different places: 
when they ceased to smoke, the works 
seemed completely destroyed; nothing 
but heaps of sand remaining. Five 
dismounted mortars could be seen in 
the St. Carlos’s battery from the sum¬ 
mit of the rock; one gun also in St. 
Paschal’s, and three in the St Martin’s. 
At night we fired several rounds of 
grape at their horse-patroles, which, 
since their late misfortune, appeared 
more numerous than before. 


H 




98 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VI, 


CHAPTER VI. 


The Spaniards determine to restore their batteries—Establish several defensive posts—Repair 
their works, but are considerably retarded by the garrison—Description of a new invented 
depressing gun-carriage—Gallant behaviour of the Mercury, ordnance-ship—The Vernon 
store-ship arrives with several gun-boats, in frames; also the Cerberus and Apollo frigates, 
with a reinforcement of men—Singular quality of quick sight in two boys belonging to the 
garrison—Spaniards resolve to make a vigorous attack upon Gibraltar, under the command 
of the Due de Crillon—Begin to convert large vessels into battering-ships at Algeziras— 
A party of Corsicans arrive, and offer to act as volunteers in the garrison during the siege 
—Enemy’s army reinforced—Unfortunate accident in a magazine at Willis’s—A strong re¬ 
inforcement of French troops joins the enemy’s army—The Due de Crillon assumes the 
command of the combined forces; and the besiegers’ batteries for some time are silent. 


The Spaniards for several days ap¬ 
peared totally at a loss how to act after 
their recent disgrace. Their batteries 
continued in flames, nor were any at¬ 
tempts made to extinguish the fire. In 
the beginning of December, however, 
they seemed as if suddenly roused from 
their reverie; upwards of 1000 men 
were at work making fascines, &c., for 
which purpose large quantities of brush¬ 
wood were collected from the country. 
From these operations we concluded 
that they were resolved to restore their 
works, when sufficient materials were 
prepared. 

The 1st of December, a flag of truce 
brought letters from the English pri¬ 
soners lately captured in the cutters 
bound to the garrison. Not a syllable 
was mentioned by the Spanish officer 
of the late transaction; nor did he 
even inquire whether we had taken 
any prisoners,. As we had observed 
the enemy to post strong guards in 
the stone guard-houses on the neutral 
ground, particularly in the centre one, 
the governor ordered the artillery to 
endeavour to dislodge them. Answers 
were returned, on the 2nd, to the 
letters brought the preceding day: let¬ 
ters also were sent from the prisoners 
taken in the sortie to their friends in 
camp. The Spanish officer, on receiv¬ 
ing the letters, appeared much sur¬ 
prised, put them in his pocket, but was 
silent; and the boats parted. One of 


the officers taken prisoner was the 
Baron Von Helmstadt, an ensign in 
the Walon guards, with the rank of 
captain: the other was Don Vincente 
Freese, a lieutenant of artillery. The 
baron was dangerously wounded in the 
knee, and, not without many intreaties, 
submitted to amputation. When the 
surgeons first informed him that this 
operation was absolutely unavoidable, 
he resolutely opposed it: amputation, 
he said, very seldom succeeded in 
Spain; besides, he was then betrothed 
in marriage to a lady, and would rather 
risk his life than present himself before 
her with only one leg. The governor, 
being told this determination, immedi¬ 
ately visited the baron, and used every 
argument to persuade him to comply. 
His mistress, the general said, must 
undoubtedly esteem him the more for 
the honourable wound which he had 
received in the service of his country; 
and, as to the operation being fatal, he 
might almost assure himself of a cer¬ 
tain recovery, since, in the many simi¬ 
lar cases which had occurred in the 
garrison during the siege, our surgeons 
had been generally successful: and to 
convince him by ocular proof, or¬ 
dered several mutilated convalescents 
into the room. This generous atten¬ 
tion of the governor had a powerful 
effect on the baron, who, no longer able 
to resist his importunities, at length 
consented to the operation. The enemy, 




1781.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


99 


the night of the 3rd, repaired the da¬ 
mage done to the third branch of ap¬ 
proach ; and did some trifling work at 
the fourth branch. The next day a 
flag of truce from the enemy brought 
letters of thanks from the Spanish 
general, Don Martin Alvarez, and the 
Walou guards, to the governor, for 
the humanity shown to the prisoners 
taken in the batteries. In the boat 
came some poultry for the wounded 
baron; also clothes and money for the 
officers. Their guards in the lines 
now appeared to be about 800 infantry, 
with 100 artillery; besides 60 or 70 
cavalry for patroles. The governor, 
on the 5th, ordered that “ no officer of 
the line, commanding at a post, should 
interfere in the mode of loading, point¬ 
ing, or firing the cannon. If at any 
time he judged it necessary to fire 
upon the enemy, he was to point out 
the object to the artillery, and submit 
it to their opinion, whether it was 
practicable or not.” The morning of 
the 7th, a cutter appeared from the 
west, and, after an obstinate action with 
the enemy’s gun-boats, was obliged to 
strike. In this engagement we ob¬ 
served that the enemy had made some 
alterations in the construction of their 
boats, which before would not allow 
the guns to be depressed. 

Notwithstanding our fire, the enemy 
seemed determined to establish them¬ 
selves at the centre stone guard-house, 
round which, on the night of the 7 th, 
they made a trench, and also lined 
with fascines part of the fourth branch 
of approach. Our firing continued to 
vary as their operations were more or 
less noticed; in the day we directed 
it principally to parties observed near 
the tower, and at night to the centre 
guard-house; against which they had 
heaped up sand, and continued every 
evening to make other additions.—The 
garrison at this period was so extremely 
sickly, that a hundred men were cur¬ 
tailed from the working parties; and 
the officers’ servants, with others who 
usually were exempted from these 
duties, were ordered to assist, to lessen 
the fatigue of their comrades. Near 
700 were at this time on our hospital 

L. af C. 


lists.—The Unicorn cutter sailed, in 
the night of the 12th, with dispatches 
for England; and the following even¬ 
ing, the Phoenix, with duplicates. 

The operations of the enemy seemed 
now entirely defensive. The western 
stone guard-house on the beach was 
unroofed in the same manner as the 
centre guard-house, and strengthened 
with sand; with a trench dug round 
at some distance in the front. We 
imagined that strong guards were sta¬ 
tioned every night at these posts, to 
protect their remaining works. The 
evening of the 16th, about ten o’clock, 
one of the enemy’s advanced sentries, 
near Bay-side, fired his musket; which 
was taken up by others in the gardens, 
and the alarm spread to the lines, and 
thence to the camp. Lights were im¬ 
mediately observed moving about, and 
the drums beat to arms. After some 
hours’ confusion they were calm and 
quiet. Their works, particularly the 
St. Paschal’s battery, continued to 
smoke in several places, on the 18th. 
No ordnance could now be seen in any 
of the batteries: their fire was rather 
smart, but no particular object seemed 
to engage their notice. 

Brigadiers Ross and Green were ap¬ 
pointed, in the orders of the 20th, to 
be major-generals in the army; and 
the next evening General Ross sailed 
in a boat for Faro, on his return to 
England. General Green some time 
afterwards received a letter of service, 
and Lieutenant Holloway, his brigade- 
major, was appointed his aide-de-camp. 
The same day a flag of truce brought 
over several letters, with money and 
clothes for the prisoners. At night, 
the enemy extended the fourth branch 
in the same direction, toward the 
western stone guard-house; and seve¬ 
ral pickets were driven, and fascines 
laid in the ruins of the batteries, in 
order to retain the sand, and prevent 
it being washed down by the rains. 
The night of the 23rd they raised an 
epaulment on the top of the centre' 
guard-house, and finished the first line 
of the new approach from the fourth 
branch. 

Two soldiers of Hardenberg’s and 

II 2 




100 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VI. 


the 72nd regiment, on the 25th, at¬ 
tempted to desert by a rope from 
Mount Misery: the former got down, 
though the rope broke; which accident 
was the cause of the latter being re¬ 
taken. A few days after, a sergeant 
of the artificers was ordered to recon¬ 
noitre the place where this deserter 
descended; and he got down far 
enough to discover the unfortunate 
man dashed to pieces at the foot of the 
precipice. The night of the 27th the 
enemy made several additions to the 
centre guard-house. The Baron Von 
Helmstadt being dangerously ill about 
this period (not in consequence of the 
amputation he had undergone, but 
from some inward malady), flags of 
truce were daily passing and repassing 
to inform his friends of his dangerous 
situation. The 28th, the baron died; 
and the following day his body was 
carried to the New mole, accompanied 
by the grenadiers of the 12th regiment, 
with the usual honours of war, where 
two barges waited to convey it to the 
enemy’s camp. The governor, and 
principal officers in the garrison, with 
Don Vincente, attended the ceremony. 
The fowls and other refreshments sent 
by his friends, with the money not used 
by the baron in his sickness, were also 
returned, to the most minute article. 

The enemy, on the night of the 30th, 
added to the trench in front of the centre 
guard-house, which, a few evenings be¬ 
fore, they had altered from its original 
form. Our engineers the same night 
erected a blind of canvas, &c., in front 
of Princess Anne’s battery (Willis’s), 
which the engineers afterwards cais- 
soned, when their fire became less 
warm on this new object. Another 
was afterwards placed before the Prin¬ 
cess Amelia’s, for the same purpose. 
The materials with which the works at 
the northward were now repaired, 
were collected from the coal-ships that 
had been run ashore in the New mole 
after Admiral Darby’s departure. The 
sides of these vessels were cut up, under 
the direction of the engineers, into large 
solid pieces, of such form and dimen¬ 
sion as the purpose dictated to which 
they were to be applied. Of these ma¬ 


terials the batteries at Willis’s were at 
this time formed; the angles being 
connected and secured by strong knees 
and bolts having transverse pieces 
within, which were also kneed. When 
the caissons for the merlons were thus 
framed, they were filled in the front 
with layers of junk, and sand-bags be¬ 
hind. The height of the merlons was 
between ten and eleven feet; and the 
upper parts were supported by strong 
beams across the embrasures, forming 
hoods (as the engineers called them) over 
the muzzles of the cannon : these hoods 
were three feet deep, and extended 
about six feet in length over the em¬ 
brasures ; by which improvements the 
guns were preserved from being broken 
by the shells in their descent, and the 
artillery-men on duty were well co¬ 
vered. The solid construction of these 
new works, and the adoption of a simi¬ 
lar mode in repairing the other defences 
of the garrison, will account, in a great 
measure, for the general casualties of the 
troops not being so numerous as might 
otherwise be expected ; and, to evince 
the permanence of them, no other proof, 
I imagine, need be adduced, than that 
upward of 100 shot-holes have been 
plugged up in the front of one merlon, 
and yet the battery was not materially 
damaged.* 

Two ordnance-ships arrived in the 
course of December. As we are now 
arrived at the close of the year, it may 
not be impertinent to insert a return of 
casuals, from the 12th of April to the 
31st of December, 1781, that the reader 
may have an idea of our general loss 
in that period. 


* When the enemy’s proceedings afterwards 
rendered some alterations necessary in the 
works at Willis’s, the ship timber was found 
very useful in further securing the upper bat¬ 
teries, and in protecting our artillery. The 
height of the parapets permitted the engineers 
to erect splinter-proofs between the guns, of 
curved pieces of timber cut from the bottom 
of a ship, which were placed against the 
breasts of the merlons, and made bomb-proof 
by layers of sand-bags, which also formed a 
traverse across the battery. By these addi¬ 
tions the communications between the ord¬ 
nance were covered, and the batteries well 
traversed against the enemy’s eastern en- 
filade-hre. 






1782.J 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


101 


Killed and dead of wounds 

Disabled. 

Wounded. 

The new year’s day of 1782 was re¬ 
markable for an action of gallantry 
which is worthy of being rescued from 
oblivion. An officer of artillery at 
Willis’s, observing a shell falling to¬ 
wards the place where he stood, got be¬ 
hind a traverse for protection; which 
he had scarcely done, ere it fell into 
the traverse, and instantly entangled 
him in the rubbish: one of the guard, 
named Martin, observing his distress, 
generously risked his own life in de¬ 
fence of his officer, and ran to extri¬ 
cate him ; but, finding his own efforts 
ineffectual, called for assistance; when 
another of the guard joining him, they 
relieved the officer from his situation; 
and almost at the same instant the shell 
burst, and levelled the traverse to the 
ground. Martin was afterwards pro¬ 
moted, and rewarded by the governor, 
who at the same time told him “ he 
should equally have noticed him for 
relieving his comrade.” Several simi¬ 
lar instances of heroism occurred 
during the siege, all of which were 
equally honourable to the garrison. 

The enemy persevered in carrying 
on their works; the centre guard-house 
now began to assume a regular figure. 
The ditch formed three sides of a hexa¬ 
gon, extending to the rear in obtuse 
angles with the front; and the fascine 
parapet, joining the building, was 
lengthened each way. Materials con¬ 
tinued to be daily brought down to the 
lines and advanced works. Their 
workmen were however considerably 
annoyed, in repairing the fourth and 
fifth branches of the approach, from the 
Old mole head and Montague’s bastion. 
The ship St. Philip’s Castle, in govern¬ 
ment service, arrived on the 4th from 
Mahon, with dispatches from General 
Murray: on board her came several 
prisoners taken by that general in a 
sally made from Fort St. Philip’s. 
The enemy endeavoured to cut her off 
fVom the bay, but could not accom¬ 


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$ 

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PS 

Total. 

. 3 

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122 

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1 

36 

46 

. 13 

22 

6 

359 

400 


plish it. She returned to Minorca on 
the 10th. Since their army had landed 
at Minorca, the enemy’s attention to 
the eastward was visibly abated; nor 
did they make so many signals from the 
tower on the Queen of Spain’s Chair 
as had been their custom formerly. 
The subsequent evening, our prames 
made the signal for the approach of 
the gun-boats: an easterly wind how¬ 
ever springing up, they threw up their 
rockets, and retired. We could not 
otherwise account for their not firing 
in an easterly wind, than by imagin¬ 
ing they were apprehensive of some ac¬ 
cident in their magazines, which, being 
in the stern of the boat, might run 
some danger of being blown up by the 
sparks from the discharge of their ord¬ 
nance. The night of the 7th, beside 
making additions to the centre guard¬ 
house, the enemy debouched from the 
fifth branch, and dug a ti’ench about 
fifteen or twenty yards towards the 
east. A court of inquiry, on the 8th, 
sat on Antonio Juanico, the spy who 
was discovered in the Faro boat; and 
some time afterwards he was ordered 
to prepare for execution. The gover¬ 
nor however at last pardoned him. 

The enemy, about this time, re¬ 
moved several guns from the camp to 
the lines, taking others back. Most 
of their cannon (we had reason to ima¬ 
gine for some time past) had been 
greatly damaged by the firing; as the 
shot, at periods, were observed not to 
fly with the same velocity as at first. 
The last deserter said they had spoiled 
three sets of guns from the commence¬ 
ment of the bombardment. In the 
night of the 9th, they raised the epaul- 
ment joining the centre guard-house; 
and opened four embrasures, two on 
each side of the building. They were 
all masked with fascines, and appeared 
solely for defence. The night of the 
12th, the enemy formed a trench from 
the debouchure of the fifth branch, to 





102 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VI. 


the front of the ruins of the St. Carlos’s 
battery, toward the western beach: part 
of it was lined with fascines. They 
also raised a place d’armes on the east 
flank of the St. Carlos’s battery, joining 
the fifth branch. At night sailed the 
Henry and Mercury ordnance-ships 
to the westward. Don Vincente Freese 
went passenger in the former for Eng¬ 
land, with the prisoners taken in our 
sortie, and those sent by General Mur¬ 
ray. About the 14th or 15th, the enemy 
raised another place d’armes on the west 
flank of the St. Carlos’s battery, and 
joining the ruins of the St. Paschal’s 
battery; and the subsequent evening 
strengthened and capped it with fas¬ 
cines. In the night, signals were made 
in the Gut, and at daybreak two cutters 
appeared at the entrance of the bay; but 
the wind blowing somewhat northerly, 
and dying away, they were driven to 
leeward by the current: a frigate and 
11 gun-boats from Algeziras imme¬ 
diately gave chase, and soon after they 
were joined by a frigate and xebeque 
from Ceuta. The cutters finding it im¬ 
possible to make the bay, and observ¬ 
ing the force of their pursuers, pru¬ 
dently crowded sail to the eastward. 
In the afternoon some of the gun-boats 
got within range, and a few rounds 
were exchanged; but the wind freshen¬ 
ing towards sunset, the cutters evidently 
left the enemy considerably astern. 
When night prevented us from con¬ 
tinuing our observations, they had in¬ 
deed gained such a distance, that we 
did not in the least doubt but they 
would escape. 

The enemy had made, for several 
preceding evenings, considerable addi¬ 
tions to the centre redoubt; and on the 
night of the 17th, they raised a work 
embracing each extremity of the fas¬ 
cine-ditch which was in the front of it: 
this post now appeared finished. They 
likewise raised and threw sand in front 
of the place d’armes, and brought vast 
quantities of different materials to their 
advanced works. Their firing was not 
at this period remarkable; but as they 
directed their ordnance principally 
among our working parties on the hill, 
we experienced a few casualties. Our 
batteries in return were well served; 


and the fire pointed to all quarters. In 
the morning of the 18th, just after gun¬ 
firing, signals were made from the ene¬ 
my’s advanced works, which were re¬ 
peated to their camp. The batteries at 
the same time kept up a brisk fire, all 
in a low direction. This gave us rea¬ 
son to think they were apprehensive 
of another sortie : and the following 
morning the four embrasures in the 
centre redoubt were unmasked, and 
animated with four howitzers; and a 
considerable number of troops left the 
lines soon after daybreak: all which 
circumstances served to countenance 
our conjecture. In the evening of the 
20th, the artillery at Willis’s discovered 
a party of the enemy erecting a line of 
communication from the fourth branch 
to the centre redoubt. The Old mole 
head and Montague’s were immediately 
opened on them in addition to the 
upper batteries; and we plied them so 
briskly, that the party was obliged to 
retire about midnight, leaving the work, 
as the morning evinced, in great con¬ 
fusion. The subsequent night, notwith¬ 
standing our fire, they raised and 
strengthened the new communication. 
In this duty they were well covered by 
a brisk fire from the lines; and which, 
from the repeated volleys discharged, 
afforded room to think that their work¬ 
men had suffered materially the night 
before. 

The night of the 23rd they repaired 
the parapet of the St. Carlos’s battery 
nine fascines in height, and began to 
rebuild the magazine in the rear. Great 
quantities of fascines, &c. were in and 
about the battery. The succeeding 
afternoon, about four o’clock, the go¬ 
vernor opened the lower batteries on 
this work, and our fire was exceedingly 
well served for some hours. The car¬ 
casses several times set fire to the fas¬ 
cines, but the enemy as frequently ex¬ 
tinguished it. At first their batteries 
returned our fire sparingly; but receiv¬ 
ing a reinforcement of artillery-men 
from the camp, the cannonade became 
warm on both sides. Our lower bat¬ 
teries ceased in the evening. The next 
day the governor renewed his endea¬ 
vours to burn these works. The car¬ 
casses were equally successful as the 

f 




1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


103 


preceding day, but their guards and 
workmen soon extinguished the fire. 
The Spanish lines returned the cannon¬ 
ade with great vivacity, having in the 
twenty-four hours discharged 1045 shot 
and 83 shells : our batteries diminished 
their fire about four in the afternoon. 
The carcasses used by the artillery on 
this occasion were made of the enemy’s 
blind shells, in which were perforated 
three large holes, and the cavity filled 
with composition. They were found 
to answer extremely well; some of 
them burning fresh a quarter of an hour 
after the enemy had smothered them 
with sand, which was the mode they 
adopted to put them out. 

We observed, on the 27th, four large 
piles of fascines at the eastern extremity 
of the parallel. We were not at all at 
a loss to guess their meaning in placing 
these fascines to the eastward; as it 
was evident that they wished to draw 
off our attention as much as possible 
from the St. Carlos’s battery. The 
manoeuvre did not however answer. 
The following evening, about ten 
o’clock, arrived the two cutters which 
had been pursued by the enemy’s cruis¬ 
ers to the eastward: the largest of 
them, called the Viper, was of 460 tons 
burthen, mounted 28 guns, and was 
esteemed the largest vessel of her kind 
ever built; the other was the Lively of 
14 guns; both laden with ordnance 
stores. They informed us that the even¬ 
ing of the day they were chased through 
to the east, several of the gun-boats got 
up and engaged them, but were soon 
beaten off: at length the wind freshen¬ 
ing, the boats were left astern. The 
breeze, they said, increased to a brisk 
gale, which, as the gun-boats were 
some leagues from land, might greatly 
distress them. This conjecture ap¬ 
peared confirmed, by none of them 
being observed to have returned to the 
bay. The night of the 28th, the ene¬ 
my took down half of the old tower, or 
windmill, which they probably thought 
was too conspicuous an object of direc¬ 
tion for our artillery in the night: they 
added also considerably to the St. Car¬ 
los’s battery, and made some alterations 
in the centre redoubt, which they pali¬ 
saded in the rear, and within it hung a 


barrier gate. The same night, arrived 
the Dartmouth Tartar cutter with 
stores. The night of the 30th, our op¬ 
ponents were observed very busy to the 
eastward of the centre redoubt. We 
instantly opened upon them, and drove 
them from the place. At daybreak we 
found they had traced out a work of 
five sides, with a large opening in the 
rear, and erected before it a screen 
similar to ours at Willis’s, but so inju¬ 
diciously placed, that the workmen be¬ 
hind were not at all concealed from our 
upper batteries. This work was never 
carried on; and the screen some time 
afterwards was knocked down, and re¬ 
moved. Our engineers, of whom little 
has been mentioned for some time, 
were indefatigable in repairing the 
splinter-proofs, magazines, traverses, 
and communications, along the north 
front, which were damaged by the ene¬ 
my’s fire: the King’s, Queen’s, and 
Prince’s lines had likewise a share in 
their attention. Parties were also en¬ 
gaged in securing and repairing the 
skeleton traverses, formed of timber 
and sand-bags in front of the doors, 
windows, &c., of the powder-magazines 
near the New mole; and deposits of 
fascines, sand, and other materials, 
were collected in different parts of the 
garrison. 

In the beginning of February, great 
numbers of mules continued bringing 
fascines, &c. to the enemy’s lines; and, 
by the number of gabions missing from 
their fascine park, it was thought they 
had concealed them in different parts * 
of the approaches for new works. The 
St. Carlos’s battery appeared nearly 
completed: it consisted of an epaul- 
ment with two shoulders; five dodging 
traverses were erected in the rear, and 
behind them two larger ones for maga¬ 
zines : the latter, however, were not of 
the same form as those erected before. 

A gate was also hung at the opening of 
the fifth branch, and the places d’armes, 
on each flank of the battery, seemed 
finished. Part of the parallel joining 
the fifth branch, in extent about 40 
yards, was likewise lined with fascines, 
and repaired. In this state were their 
works near the tower, when, on the 
night of the 2nd, they restored the 




104 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VI. 


western part of the St. Martin’s battery, 
making only five embrasures to open 
upon the town and Waterport. Our 
firing was pretty smart at this period; 
but their artillery did not exceed 
100 or 150 rounds in the twenty-four 
hours. 

In this tedious and uninteresting 
manner affairs proceeded; every night 
the besiegers making some trifling ad¬ 
dition to their advanced works. The 
afternoon of the 7th, one of their shells 
set fire to a magazine-box on the 
Queen’s battery (Willis’s), in which 
were a few loaded small shells and 
cartridges. These instantly blew up, 
and fired an adjoining gun, but did not 
the smallest injury to the officers, or 
any of the guard, though the former 
were close to it when the accident hap¬ 
pened. On hearing the explosion, the 
enemy immediately increased their fire, 
and continued it the remainder of the 
evening. The enemy added, on the 
night of the 10th, another embrasure to 
the new battery; and two nights fol¬ 
lowing, they prolonged the parallel 
about 40 yards to the eastward. Vast 
quantities of materials were at this 
time scattered in various parts of their 
works. 

The afternoon of the 15th, some 
practice was made from a gun mounted 
upon a new-constructed depressing car¬ 
riage, the invention of Lieutenant Koeh¬ 
ler, of the Royal Artillery, which was 
highly approved of by the governor and 
other officers present. The gun was 
fixed in a bed of timber, the under side 
of which was a plane parallel to the 
axis of the piece: from this bed, imme¬ 
diately under the centre of gravity, pro¬ 
jected a spindle eight inches in diameter. 
This spindle passed through a groove 
formed for its reception in a plank, the 
upper side of which was also a plane: 
upon this under-piece the bed and gun 
recoiled, being attached to it by a key 
passing through the spindle. The bed 
and gun by these means were at liberty 
to move round upon the axis of the 
spindle, and when fired, slided upon 
the under plank in the line directed by 
the groove. The under-piece was then 
connected, by a strong hinge ,in front, 
to two cheeks of a common garrison 


carriage, cut down to be little higher 
than the trucks. The gun could be 
laid to any degree of depression under 
20 degrees, by a common quoin resting 
upon the cheeks of the carriage; but 
when greater depression was necessary, 
two upright timbers, with indented 
steps, were fixed to the cheeks; by 
which, with the assistance of a mov¬ 
able plank, to slide in upon the steps, 
and a quoin, the back part of the plank, 
upon which the gun slided, was elevated 
at pleasure by iron pins in the uprights; 
and the gun depressed to any angle 
above 20 and under 70 degrees. 

Many advantages, beside that of 
immediate depression, resulted to the 
artillery from this invention. The car¬ 
riage, when the gun was depressed, 
seldom moved; the gun sliding upon 
the plank to which the bed was attached 
by the spindle, and returning to its 
former place with the most trifling 
assistance. When the shot was dis¬ 
charged, and the bed with the gun had 
recoiled to the extremity of the groove, 
the matross, by turning round the gun 
to lie horizontally across the carriage 
(which was done with the greatest 
facility), was also enabled to load 
under cover of the merlon, unexposed 
to the enemy’s fire, and avoided the 
difficulty of ramming the shot upwards. 
It equally allowed the gun to be fired 
at point blank; and (by turning the 
muzzle to the back part of the carriage) 
at every elevation, to 45 degrees, but in 
that state did not particularly excel. 
As to the accuracy of the depressing 
shot, no farther proof need be adduced, 
than that, out of 30 rounds, 28 shot 
took place in one traverse in the St. 
Carlos’s battery, at the distance of near 
1400 yards. 

A polacre had arrived on the 15th; 
and on the 17th, came in the Flying- 
fish cutter, with ordnance stores: the 
latter was opposed, and engaged in the 
bay by a frigate, a xebeque, and three 
gun-boats; but got in, by perseverance 
and superior skill, without a single 
man killed or wounded. At night, a 
party of the enemy was discovered at 
the eastern extremity of the parallel; 
and a brisk fire was immediately 
pointed to the spot. At daybreak, we 





1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


105 


remarked they had traced out with fas¬ 
cines a work (of five sides, leaving the 
gorge open) at the west return from 
the parallel. It appeared to be for 
another redoubt. About the morning 
gun-fire, a brig was hailed from Europa, 
and answered, “ from Corkfinding she 
was a friend, the captain was directed 
to anchor at the Mole; but, imagining 
the ships, as before the war, remained 
at Waterport, he passed our prames, 
and did not discover his error till he 
had gone too far to return: he was 
consequently obliged to put about, and 
the vessel grounded at the back of the 
Old mole. When the enemy observed 
her in the morning, the Black battery 
and Fort St. Philip directed a smart 
fire upon her; but, though it was con¬ 
tinued the whole day, not a shot struck 
the hull. Captain Curtis brought away 
the crew, and at night went with seve¬ 
ral boats, and cut away her masts: 
part of her cargo was also removed; 
but the greater portion of it was da¬ 
maged by the sea-water. In the even¬ 
ing, Waterport guard was reinforced 
with a picket. 

The enemy, on the night of the 18th, 
added five embrasures to the gun bat¬ 
tery, and left a space, seemingly for 
two others. This addition made it 
appear as if they intended the whole 
for one battery, which before was di¬ 
vided into two. Great quantities of 
materials were dispersed in various 
parts of their works, and brushwood 
continued to be brought into their camp 
from the country. The succeeding 
night they erected an epaulment of 
39 casks long, faced with fascines, 
within the hexagon figure, at the ex¬ 
tremity of the parallel. The front 
work was also raised, and a ditch, ex¬ 
tending along the front of the parallel 
to the east flank of the St. Carlos’s, 
lined with fascines. They worked also 
on the platforms of the new battery. 
The morning of the 20th, 10 gun-boats 
returned to Algeziras from the east: 
they were supposed to be the same 
which had chased the Viper and Lively 
cutters. Intelligence from Portugal 
mentioned that several of them had 
been lost in the gale which sprung up 
the same evening: we were rather dis¬ 


appointed therefore to see so many 
return. In the evening the Viper, 
Lively, and Dartmouth Tartar cutters, 
sailed for England. About the time of 
their departure, a traverse in the St. 
Carlos’s was set on fire by our artillery, 
which produced a smart cannonade for 
some hours. The succeeding day, an¬ 
other traverse was set on fire, and 
burnt for some time. The enemy 
always behaved with great spirit on 
these occasions. The night of the 21st 
they completed their gun battery, which 
now presented to us 13 embrasures: 
they likewise repaired the damage done 
by the fire. 

About noon on the 23rd, several sig¬ 
nals were made at Cabrita Point, which 
brought out a frigate and a xebeque 
from Algeziras. Soon after, we ob¬ 
served a vessel standing into the bay 
with a flowing sail. The xebeque 
passed her astern ; but the frigate bore 
down, and appeared as if she intended 
to board. The vessel, however, in 
coming abreast, threw in so well- 
directed a broadside, that the Spaniard 
was greatly confused, and fell astern. 
The frigate afterwards wore, and re¬ 
turned the salute; but the vessel was 
at such a distance that no damage was 
received. On her arrival at the New 
mole, to our surprise we found her to 
be the Mercury ordnance-ship, which 
had left the bay in January, and, as 
we imagined, was bound to England. 
Several inhabitants, supposing the same, 
had taken their passage on board her 
for England ; and never discovered 
their mistake, till, to their great morti¬ 
fication, they found, on their entrance 
into the Straits, the unpleasant shores 
of Spain and Barbary, instead of the 
exhilarating coast of Britain. Captain 
Heington, who commanded her, on 
leaving the garrison, had secret orders 
to put into Lisbon, where he was to 
take in a cargo of various articles, and 
return, which orders he had directions 
not to divulge to any person, lest the 
enemy, by their emissaries, should get 
information of the plan, and waylay 
him in his voyage back. He accord¬ 
ingly put into Lisbon, and took in his 
cargo of wine and fruit. When every¬ 
thing, was completed, he pretended 




106 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VI. 


some farther business would still delay 
him, and pressed the passengers to 
embrace the opportunity of the packet, 
and sail for England. They however 
approved of their accommodation too 
well to remove; and Captain Heington 
was reluctantly obliged to bring them 
back to the garrisoiv The governor 
did not suffer the gallant conduct of 
Captain Heington to pass unrewarded, 
but generously presented him with a 
handsome douceur, and strongly re¬ 
commended him to the Admiralty for 
promotion ; which accordingly suc¬ 
ceeded. On the afternoon in which 
the Mercury arrived, the enemy fired a 
grand feu-de-joie in camp, commencing 
with a salute from the lines. They 
repeated the fire a fourth time; which 
led us to imagine they had gained some 
advantage at Minorca; and we after¬ 
wards found that our apprehensions 
had been too well founded. 

The enemy’s ships in the bay were 
reinforced on the 24th and 25th with 
a frigate, four or five xebeques, and se¬ 
veral armed settees; part of which pro¬ 
bably had been employed to block up 
the port of Mahon. The morning of 
the 25th, arrived the St. Ann, ordnance- 
ship, with a supply of powder, and two 
gun-boats, on a new construction, in 
frames. We were informed by her 
that the Vernon store-ship, under con¬ 
voy of a frigate, was on her passage for 
Gibraltar, with ten other gun-boats on 
board. The following morning we ob¬ 
served the enemy had entirely new¬ 
faced the eastern epaulment, and raised 
it to the height of eight fascines. They 
also worked on the magazine of the St. 
Martin’s battery, and debouched from 
the centre of the parallel, throwing up 
a trifling line extending towards the 
south-west. The 27th, four rows of 
ten tents each were pitched in the rear 
of the Catalonian camp. We imagined 
they were occupied by the artillery 
cadets. At night the enemy added se¬ 
veral traverses to their thirteen-gun bat¬ 
tery. Beside the arrivals already noted, 
three other vessels and several boats 
came in in the course of the month. 

The 1st of March a flag of truce 
went to the enemy, in answer to one 
from them some days before. The 


Spanish officer who received the packet 
informed us that Fort St. Philip, in 
Minorca, had surrendered on the 5th of 
February. The succeeding day, a car¬ 
cass set fire to the enemy’s thirteen-gun 
battery, which continued blazing for 
two hours. On their attempting to ex¬ 
tinguish the fire, we plied them so 
briskly, that several were killed and 
most of them driven from their work; 
but their usual gallantry at last pre¬ 
vailed. At night they raised a place 
d’armes at the western extremity of the 
thirteen-gun battery. These defensive 
works demonstrated that they were de¬ 
termined to provide as much as possible 
against another sortie. The following 
night they repaired the damage done 
by the fire The carpenters of the 
navy, on the 4th, laid the keel of one of 
the new gun-boats. The 6th, six rows 
of tents, ten in each row, were pitched 
in the rear of the second line of the 
enemy’s camp, near the horse-barrack. 
A large party was also employed in 
making a road from the beach to the 
barrack, and others were engaged in 
landing shells and different ordnance. 
These, with other appearances, bespoke 
a determined resolution to prosecute 
the siege. Our governor, on the other 
hand, with unwearied attention em¬ 
ployed the garrison in repairing, and 
putting in the best order of defence, 
the upper batteries, and other works 
which had suffered from the continued 
bombardment of the enemy. The bridge 
in the ditch at Landport was likewise 
pulled down, and other alterations took 
place in that quarter. The enemy, on 
the 8th, raised one face of the eastern 
redoubt several fascines in height; and 
from the noise heard the preceding 
night, we imagined they also finished 
platforms in their batteries. The day 
following, Lieutenant Cuppage, of the 
Royal Artillery, was dangerously 
wounded on the Royal battery, from a 
splinter of a small shell, which burst 
immediately after being discharged 
from the rock gun above and in the 
rear of the Royal battery: this was the 
second accident of the same nature. 
The 11th a frigate and xebeque passed 
to the west, with six top-sail vessels, 
supposed to be part of the late Minorca 






1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


107 


garrison. The night of the 13th the 
enemy traced out a work within the 
western place d’armes of the St. Carlos’s 
battery, apparently with an intention of 
extending the epaulment. The firing 
on both sides was now considerably in¬ 
creased ; that from the enemy amounted 
on an average to about 300 rounds in 
the twenty-four hours. 

The operations of the besiegers still 
continued tedious. On the 16th they 
palisaded the gorge of the centre re¬ 
doubt, and on the 18th began to pitch 
a new camp near the grand magazine 
on the beach. At night they erected 
the epaulment of St. Paschal’s mortar 
battery, and raised three traverses in 
the rear. Lieutenant White, of the 
56th, was slightly wounded on the 16th. 
On the night of the 20th the St. Pas¬ 
chal’s battery was raised three fascines. 
At night the wind blew so strong a 
gale, that the new windmill, on Wind¬ 
mill-hill, took fire from the violence of 
the friction, and was burnt to the 
ground. The 22ud the enemy made 
some trifling additions, and fixed a 
barrier-gate at the extremity of the 
fourth branch of approach. The sub¬ 
sequent evening, a little before mid¬ 
night, we were gratified with the safe 
arrival of the Vernon store-ship, having 
on board the remaining ten gun-boats 
and other materials for the garrison. 
Some hours after, the Cerberus and 
Apollo frigates, Captains Mann and 
Hamilton, with four transports, having 
the 97th regiment on board, anchored 
under our guns. 

The Vernon’s arrival may be consi¬ 
dered as truly fortunate, since no less 
than thirty Spanish men-of-war of dif¬ 
ferent force were out purposely to in¬ 
tercept her and the Success frigate, Cap¬ 
tain Pole, her convoy. Some leagues 
to the westward of the Straits they fell 
in with a forty-gun frigate, which had 
left our (blockade) station, and was one 
of the above-mentioned cruisers. A 
warm action consequently commenced; 
but the Spaniard, finding the Vernon 
well armed, and that she boldly bore 
down to support the Success, after an 
engagement of several glasses, in which 
the Vernon had a considerable share, 
thought proper to submit. On board 


the prize were found papers describing 
the Vernon to the most minute part of 
her rigging, at the same time mention¬ 
ing the officers’ names who were pas¬ 
sengers, and every particular article of 
her cargo; and from the prisoners we 
learned the number of ships which 
were cruising to intercept her. Cap¬ 
tain Pole afterwards burned the Santa 
Catalina, and separated from the Ver¬ 
non on the appearance of the Cerberus 
with her convoy, which he mistook for 
the enemy’s cruisers. The Vernon 
therefore proceeded alone for the gar¬ 
rison, and, at the entrance of the Straits, 
in the evening, fell in with, and indeed 
was surrounded by, the enemy’s ships; 
but, happily, the sky prognosticating a 
rough night, and she tacking at the 
same time they did, they supposed her 
a friend, and stood in for the high land; 
and at dusk she altered her course, and 
was soon safe in her destined port. 
Lieutenant-Colonel Gledstanes, of the 
72nd regiment, and other officers, came 
in her as passengers, with recruits for 
the different regiments in the garrison. 
The next day the 97th regiment, com¬ 
manded by Colonel Stanton, disem¬ 
barked 700 complete, and were imme¬ 
diately quartered in Scud-hill and Rosia 
barracks. This regiment soon after 
became very sickly, and, though they 
were attended to with the greatest care 
by the governor and officers, in a few 
months many of them died, and the 
rest were of little assistance to the gar¬ 
rison before September. 

The enemy, on the night of the 24th, 
were discovered, from Willis’s, at work 
in the front of the epaulment, at the 
eastern extremity of the parallel; a 
few rounds of grape, however, quickly 
drove them under cover: they made 
several attempts to proceed, but were 
as constantly obliged to retire. The 
succeeding morning we observed they 
had employed parties in other parts of 
their works. The communication to 
the centre redoubt was raised, many 
traverses were erected behind the fourth 
approach, and a considerable quantity 
of fascines and other materials brought 
down to their works. In the forenoon 
of the 25th, the Spanish officers belong¬ 
ing to the Santa Catalina, who were 





108 


HISTORY OF THE 


[CHAP. VI. 


brought to the garrison in the Vernon, 
were sent by a flag of truce into Spain 
on their parole. In the course of the 
day a shot came through one of the 
capped embrasures on Princess Amelia’s 
battery (Willis’s), took off the legs of 
two men belonging to the 72nd and 
73rd regiments, one leg of a soldier of 
the 73rd, and wounded another man in 
both legs; thus four men had seven 
legs taken off and wounded by one 
shot. The boy, who was usually sta¬ 
tioned on the works where a large party 
was employed to inform the men when 
the enemy’s fire was directed to that 
place, had been reproving them for 
their carelessness in not attending to 
him, and had just turned his head to¬ 
ward the enemy, when he observed this 
shot, and instantly called for them to 
take care; his caution was, however, 
too late ; the shot entered the embra¬ 
sure, and had the above-recited fatal 
effect. It is somewhat singular that 
this boy should be possessed of such 
uncommon quickness of sight as to see 
the enemy’s shot almost immediately 
after they quitted the guns. He was 
not, however, the only one in the gar¬ 
rison possessing this qualification; an¬ 
other boy of about the same age was as 
celebrated, if not his superior. Both 
of them belonged to the Artificer com¬ 
pany, and were constantly placed on 
some part of the works to observe the 
enemy’s fire; their names were Richard¬ 
son and Brand; the former was reputed 
to have the best eye.* 

The night of the 25th, the enemy 
extended their parallel in a continued 
direction with the old work about one 
hundred yards, with casks and fascines, 
banked up with sand in front. The 
succeeding evening, we perceived seve¬ 


* These boys were afterwards patronized by 
some officers of their corps, and, being found 
quick and very intelligent, were placed in the 
engineer’s drawing-room, and eventually ob¬ 
tained commissions in the corps of engineers. 
One of the works of these young men, while 
pursuing their studies at Woolwich, was to 
finish the large model of the Rock of Gibraltar, 
which formerly stood in the model-room there, 
and was much admired for beauty of execution 
and minute correctness. It was destroyed in 
the fire by which that building was consumed. 
Richardson and Brand both died of yellow 
fever in the West Indies. 


ral guns in the St. Martin’s battery; 
and it was imagined, that ordnance 
were brought forward for the other 
batteries. The night of the 26th, they 
began merlons for six embrasures in 
the eastern redoubt, two in each face 
opening on the Devil’s Tower, Lines, 
and Old mole: they also lengthened 
the parallel, and strengthened that part 
which was raised the preceding night. 
The 28th, they scaled several guns and 
mortars in the advanced batteries; and 
the following day, we concluded, they 
mounted all their ordnance, as their 
working parties gave a general huzza, 
and then withdrew for the day. 

Our opponents at this time scarcely 
expended more than 200 rounds in the 
24 hours; but we frequently saluted 
them with double that number in that 
period. The night of the 28th and 
29th, the enemy lined with fascines 
the prolongation of the parallel, and 
erected five traverses in the eastern re¬ 
doubt. Their batteries near the tower 
now appeared to be completed; the 
fourth month being just expired since 
they had been destroyed. The 31st, 
being a grand festival, our batteries 
were double manned, expecting the 
besiegers would open their advanced 
batteries; but not firing, the reinforce¬ 
ment was remanded at noon. In the 
evening, about six o’clock, a shell set 
fire to the flank of the eastern redoubt, 
and, the flame being assisted with a 
brisk discharge, burned rapidly for 
some hours: at last, however, the 
enemy extinguished it. The succeed¬ 
ing morning, we perceived that they 
had covered with sand the part which 
had taken fire, and a number of fascines 
were lying in great confusion about 
the work. The same night, a boat 
came in from Portugal with sheep, 
oranges, lemons, and fowls : two others 
also arrived in the course of the month. 

On the evening of the 1st of April, 
a soldier of the 39th regiment deserted 
from Landport: several hundred rounds 
of musketry and grape were discharged 
at him, some of which it is imagined 
took effect, as he dropped just before 
he got to the St. Carlos’s battery, and 
was carried into the work by seven of 
the guard. At dusk, a volunteer of 





1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


10S 


Arragon came over to us: he brought 
his arms and. some necessaries, which, 
with other circumstances, occasioned a 
suspicion of his being a spy. He re¬ 
ported that the enemy had suffered 
considerably in restoring their batte¬ 
ries ; upward of 400 being killed, and 
nearly as many more wounded. The 
eastern redoubt, he informed us, was 
called the Mahon battery. The enemy, 
on the 2nd, began to pitch tents in rear 
of the Walon guards: they were af¬ 
terwards increased to six double rows, 
capable of quartering a battalion of 
infantry. 

As grates for heating shot were dis¬ 
tributed on the different northern bat¬ 
teries in the beginning of this month, 
we imagined the governor intended 
applying red-hot shot against the ene¬ 
my’s works, which appeared now com¬ 
plete. We were however disappointed; 
they were still reserved as a bonne 
bouche, for the closing of the scene. 

The night of the 5th, the enemy 
erected, at the extremity of the paral¬ 
lel, a place d'armes, of four sides, one 
of which was the parallel lengthened, 
the other three extending in obtuse 
angles to the rear. The 6th, Colonel 
Stanton was appointed a brigadier- 
general; and Captain Blanckley, of 
the 97th regiment, his brigade-major. 
The 8th, we perceived some tents 
pitched upon the plain beneath the 
ruins of Carteia; and the following 
day this camp was increased with five 
double rows of tents: a regiment in 
white took possession in the evening. 
The 9th, a regiment in blue marched 
into the new camp, pitched the 2nd of 
this month. The same day all the 
carpenters of the regiments in garrison 
(those of the 97th regiment excepted) 
were ordered, wflth a hundred addi¬ 
tional real men, into the King’s works. 
At night the enemy made some altera¬ 
tions near St. Paschal’s battery, and 
strengthened the place d’armes at the 
extremity of the parallel. The 10th, 
Lieutenant Wetham, of the 12th regi¬ 
ment, was killed by a splinter of a 
shell, marching at the head of the 
spur-guard up the ramp, from Land- 
port ditch. His servant also lost his 
arm, and the drummer had his drum 


broken to pieces: but the rest of the 
guard escaped. This young officer be¬ 
ing much liked, his death was much 
regretted; and it seemed particularly 
unfortunate, as the enemy only fired 
that fatal shell, and one shot, in the 
earlier part of the day. 

A Faro boat arrived on the 11th 
from Portugal, with dispatches for the 
governor. A private letter, sent from 
Lisbon by this boat, communicated to 
us most important intelligence: it 
mentioned, that great preparations were 
making at Cadiz, and in the Mediter¬ 
ranean ports, for a most vigorous at¬ 
tack on Gibraltar; and that the Due 
de Crillon, who had lately taken St. 
Philip’s, was to command with 20,000 
French and Spanish troops, in addition 
to what were at present before the 
garrison; with Monsieur d’Ar^on, a 
French engineer of great eminence and 
abilities; and Admiral Don Bonaven- 
tura Moreno, with 10 sail of the line, 
beside floating-batteries, gun and mor¬ 
tar boats, &c. &c. The truth of this 
intelligence we little doubted, as many 
circumstances now occurred daily that 
served to confirm it. The enemy’s 
cannonade, in the course of the 12th, 
was singular indeed: from six in the 
morning to sunset, they fired every 
two or three minutes a single gun or 
mortar ; and being the anniversary of 
their bombardment, it appeared still 
more extraordinary. Some jocular 
persons in the garrison remarked, that 
perhaps they were commemorating the 
day with fasting and prayer, and by 
their minute-guns expressing their sor¬ 
row, that so many thousand barrels of 
powder, and rounds of ammunition, 
should have been expended to so little 
purpose. Their firing from the 12th 
gradually decreased, for about a week; 
when, for a few nights, they fired 
brisker than usual. It afterwards di¬ 
minished to about a hundred rounds on 
an average in the 24 hours, and scarcely 
exceeded that number during the re¬ 
mainder of the month. Their fascine 
parties continued to be actively em¬ 
ployed preparing materials in their 
parks ; and long strings of mules were 
constantly removing them to the lines 
and advanced batteries. Throughout 





no 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. vi. 


their camp new life seemed to be in¬ 
fused into the troops: instead of that 
inactive languor which had so long 
prevailed in all their operations, every 
person now appeared in motion. 

The morning of the 16th we re¬ 
marked that the enemy had repaired 
the eastern part of the Mahon battery, 
which had been burnt down the latter 
end of the preceding month. Some 
other trifling additions were also made 
to this work. The 20th arrived the 
Antigallican ordnance-ship from Eng¬ 
land. The nights of the 21st and 22nd 
the enemy’s parties added some further 
repairs to the Mahon battery: they also 
raised a small work near the tower, and 
erected several traverses in various 
parts of the parallel. The 24th one of 
our new gun-boats, which had been 
launched on the 18th, was tried with 
an eighteen-pounder on board; and the 
practice met with the approbation of 
the governor and officers of the navy. 
As a person was sent out in the Vernon 
to superintend their construction, the 
keels of several other boats after his 
arrival were immediately laid on the 
stocks ; and the carpenters, being now 
acquainted with the marks, proceeded 
with confidence and expedition: four 
or five more therefore were in great 
forwardness. We observed about this 
time numbers of boats passing and re¬ 
passing between Algeziras and Point 
Mala; and two ships in the river 
Palmones, which we imagined were 
fitting out as fire-ships: precautions 
were therefore taken to render them 
ineffectual, in case they resolved on 
another attempt to burn our frigates. 
The 25th, a little before daybreak, a 
deserter came in from the enemy: he 
was a native of Arragon, and comrade 
to the last: he confirmed our informa¬ 
tion from Lisbon respecting the in¬ 
tended attack, under the command of 
the Due de Crillon; adding, that they 
had resolved to make the principal 
attack by sea; for which purpose large 
ships were to be fitted up in a peculiar 
manner with junk, cork, &c. The new 
camp, near Rocadillo Point, he said, 
was occupied by the regiment of Cor¬ 
dova infantry, lately arrived from 
Ceuta. 


Though their camp had been con¬ 
siderably reinforced within the pre¬ 
ceding six weeks, yet we could not 
observe that they had made any addition 
to their advanced guards, which con¬ 
tinued to be about the same number as 
mentioned some months before. The 
28th they raised the merlons of the 
Mahon battery with sand-bags. In the 
course of the day they brought down 
two guns from their artillery park to 
Fort Tonara, whither they had carried 
four the preceding day. The 30th 
they began laying platforms in the 
Mahon battery: on the same day we 
launched our second gun-boat. Seven 
more were on the stocks. 

In the beginning of May the enemy 
repaired the west branch of the St. 
Carlos’s, which fell down some time 
before, and made some alterations in 
the Black battery. Several hundred 
mules came likewise with clay to the 
lines. From seven in the evening of 
the 4th, to the same hour the succeed¬ 
ing afternoon, both the garrison and 
the enemy were silent. This was the 
first twenty-four hours in which there 
had been no firing for the space of 
nearly thirteen months. 

The evening of the 7th the Cerberus 
and Apollo frigates, with four trans¬ 
ports and four ordnance-ships, sailed 
for England. The succeeding morning 
we observed that three of the transports 
were captured, and, in company with 
the enemy’s cruisers, were then turning 
to windward. In the afternoon of the 
9th, a line-of-battle ship, with seven 
large vessels and a few polacres and 
tartans, arrived in the bay from the 
west, and anchored at Algeziras. At 
dusk the large vessels, which appeared 
to be the old men-of-war or galleons, 
hauled close in shore. The governor, 
at night, ordered a picket to reinforce 
Waterport guard. The enemy still 
continued discharging about a hundred 
rounds every twenty-four hours; and 
their parties as well as ours were em¬ 
ployed in making trifling additions and 
repairs. The arrival of the above- 
mentioned shipping at Algeziras occa¬ 
sioned various conjectures: from many 
circumstances we had reason to ima¬ 
gine they were intended for the attack 






1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


Ill 


by sea, which was meditating against 
the garrison. The governor and chief 
engineer’s attention consequently be¬ 
came engaged toward the sea-line: the 
beach behind the Old mole was fortified 
with a row of sloping palisades; Water- 
port gateway was well barricaded, and 
a chevaux-de-frise ordered to be got 
ready to place at the foot of Landport 
glacis: the ramp in the ditch was like¬ 
wise removed; and those batteries on 
the sea-line, which they conceived 
might probably be opposed to the 
enemy’s attack, were inspected, and put 
in the best order of defence. 

The enemy, about the 12th, removed 
and made a new arrangement of their 
ordnance in the forts and batteries 
along the coasts: we supposed they 
were changing them for others of a 
larger calibre. The 14th several of 
the large ships at Algeziras struck their 
yards and top-masts, and a great num¬ 
ber of men appeared on board them; 
which movements left us no longer to 
doubt that they were intended to be fitted 
up as floating batteries for the grand 
attack: this opinion was confirmed in 
the afternoon, by their beginning to 
cut down the poops of two of them. 
The subsequent day three store-ships, 
the Queen Charlotte, Leonora, and 
Charles, arrived from England with 
powder, shells, bedding, and timber. 
Three gun-boats, on their appearance 
in the Gut, went from the point to 
speak them; but, the ships hoisting 
French colours, and standing for Alge¬ 
ziras, the boats were deceived, and re¬ 
turned: the false colours were soon 
after struck, and British displayed; and 
they arrived without opposition. The 
new gun-boats which were launched 
were on this occasion of particular ser¬ 
vice ; and before night 1900 barrels of 
powder were secured in our magazines. 
The enemy on the 17 th opened thirteen 
large port-holes in the larboard side of 
one of the ships at Algeziras, and seven 
in another. 

Their operations now in the ad¬ 
vanced works almost totally ceased; 
their whole attention seemed occupied 
by the ships at Algeziras, and by ar¬ 
rangements in their camp. Cannon 
and a variety of military stores were 


landed beyond Point Mala, and a strong 
party was employed in erecting a large 
building near the landing-place, which 
we conjectured was for an hospital. 
The firing on both sides varied as cir¬ 
cumstances directed. Three men of the 
58th regiment were missing on the 
19th; and, a party being immediately 
sent in quest of them, their bodies were 
found dashed to pieces behind the rock; 
the rope by which they were to have 
descended being many yards too short. 
The enemy were very active about 
their ships; eleven port-holes were 
opened in the side of a third; and, on 
the 21st, they began to strengthen their 
larboard sides with some materials 
which appeared like junk. The elas¬ 
ticity and resistance of this article ren¬ 
dered it very eligible for the purpose. 
On the land side they continued collect¬ 
ing brushwood from all parts of the 
country, and had strong parties at work 
making fascines. At the landing-place 
stores of every species were daily dis¬ 
embarked. On the other hand, the 
garrison, with unwearied assiduity, 
made various dispositions to repel their 
attack. The sloping palisades at Water- 
port by this time were finished, and the 
gateway barricaded, excepting a small 
passage for the wicket. To this post the 
governor seemed particularly to attend. 
The intentions of the enemy were no 
longer mysterious: every preparation 
was therefore made to give them a 
warm reception: an additional number 
of grates for heating shot were made 
and distributed along the line-wall; 
and the navy lowered their yards and 
topmasts, to be in readiness to act on 
shore at a moment’s notice. 

A privateer xebeque arrived on the 
25th from Leghorn, with a Corsican 
officer and 12 privates, who came to 
offer their services as volunteers during 
the approaching attack; which the go¬ 
vernor accepted, and ordered them to 
be entertained by different regiments 
till the others arrived, who, they in¬ 
formed us, were on their passage. In 
the evening a large building, to the 
east of the Catalonian camp, took fire, 
and was totally consumed: it had for¬ 
merly been a barrack, but was now, as 
the deserters informed us, a granary 





112 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VI. 


for forage and corn. We numbered at 
this time upward of 100 pieces of can¬ 
non in the artillery park of the enemy. 
The 25th the engineers began to mine 
a gallery from a place above Farring- 
don’s battery (Willis’s), to communicate 
through the rock to a notch or pro¬ 
jection of the rock, below Green’s 
Lodge, in which the governor proposed 
to make a battery. The 26th another 
vessel arrived from Algiers, and brought 
letters, acquainting us that it was uni¬ 
versally believed in Spain, that the gar¬ 
rison, from the magnitude of the pre¬ 
parations for the attack, inevitably must 
be taken before the end of July. The 
same day about noon a large fleet ap¬ 
peared from the east, upward of 100 
sail of which we observed in the even¬ 
ing enter the bay, and anchor between 
the river Palmones and Algeziras. The 
succeeding morning we were enabled 
to make our observations on them: 
three were large and armed, one of 
them with a flag at her mizen: the 
rest were ships with troops on board, 
and small polacres and settees, sup¬ 
posed from their appearance to be laden 
with stores. In the course of the 27tli, 
28th, and 29th, they landed, it was 
imagined, about 12 battalions; which, 
calculated at about 750 to each bat¬ 
talion, amounted to about 9000 men, if 
the regiments were complete. As the 
troops disembarked, they encamped in 
the rear of the second line, extending 
toward the horse-barrack now called 
Buena Yista, which, we understood 
from the last deserters, had been fitted 
up for the commander-in-chief’s quar¬ 
ters : others of them occupied the 
ground on the left of the first line, and 
on the right of the Catalonians, in an 
obtuse direction up the hill toward the 
Queen of Spain’s Chair. Large parties 
were detached to land the military 
stores. 

A flag of truce came from the enemy 
mi the 28th, with a letter from Mr. 
Anderson, a merchant who had left the 
garrison some days before, and had 
been taken on his passage to Faro. 
Before the purport of the flag was 
known, the governor, speaking to the 
officers near him, said “ he supposed 
the duke was arrived, and had sent to 


summon the garrison; but he should 
give him a short answer, No,—No, 
and hoped the gentlemen ” (addressing 
himself to the officers present) “ would 
all support him.” He had not, how¬ 
ever, an opportunity of being so spirit¬ 
edly laconic. The day following we 
perceived a new encampment between 
the Catalonians and the left of the first 
line, and great additions were made to 
those mentioned before. • Six of their 
battering-ships were now in hand, and 
an universal activity was observed 
throughout their camp. The firing on 
both sides varied very little: if there 
were any difference in the number of 
rounds, the garrison had the advantage. 
Our engineers at this time were em¬ 
ployed in repairing the damaged and 
uneven platforms on the sea-line bat¬ 
teries, and the artillery in disposing of 
the heavy ordnance where they would 
act with greater execution and effect 
Scarce a day now passed but vessels of 
all denominations arrived in the bay, 
at the enemy’s camp, the generality 
of which seemed laden with military 
stores and materials for the siege. 

June did not commence with any¬ 
thing extraordinary. The 2nd Bri¬ 
gadier Stanton died of a coup de soleil. 
The enemy, the following day, pitched 
several large tents to the southward of 
Algeziras, for the accommodation of 
the workmen employed in fitting up 
their ships. The 4th, being his Ma¬ 
jesty’s birthday, the last of our new 
gun-boats was launched; and at noon 
the whole fired a salute, commencing 
with a salvo of 44 guns shotted, from 
the north front of the garrison: the 
enemy’s batteries instantly returned our 
land-fire, and in so smart a manner as 
to convince us they had prepared to re¬ 
taliate. The following are the names 
of the gun-boats, and ships from which 
they were manned:— 

From the Brilliant frigate. 
Revenge . . one 24-pounder 21 men 


Defiance . . one 24 do. 21 do. 

Resolution . one 18 do. 21 do. 

Spitfire . . . one 18 do. 21 do. 

Dreadnought one 18 do. 21 do. 

Thunder . . one 18 do. 21 do. 






1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


113 


From the Porcupine frigate. 
Europa . . . one 24 pounder 21 men 

Terrible . . . one 18 do. 21 do. 

Fury .... one 18 do. 21 do. 

Scourge . . . one 18 do. 21 do. 

Terror . . . one 18 do. 21 do. 

From the Speedwell cutter. 
Vengeance . one 18 do. 21 do. 

On the 5th, three rows of double 
tents, ten in each row, were pitched 
near Barcelo’s battery, at Algeziras. 
Mr, M‘Gregor, a volunteer in the 73rd, 
was wounded the same day by a shell, 
of which article the enemy’s artillery, 
within a day or two, had been more 
profuse than usual. The 6th, Captain 
Wideburg of Reden’s was wounded in 
the Queen’s lines. On the 7th, our 
artillery practised from the King’s 
bastion, with red-hot shot, against the 
Irishman’s brig, which was stranded 
at the back of the Old mole. In the 
first round, whilst one of the artillery¬ 
men was putting in the shot, the fire 
by some means immediately communi¬ 
cated to the cartridge, and the unfor¬ 
tunate man was blown from the em¬ 
brasure in some hundred pieces: two 
others were also slightly wounded with 
the unexpected recoil of the carriage. 
The practice after this accident was 
discontinued. In the evening, a shell 
fell into a quarter in town, and carried 
away part of a chair, in which Ensign 
M'Kenzie, of the 73rd, was sitting: it 
immediately burst in the room below, 
and lifted him and the chair from the 
floor, without farther injury. 

The enemy’s inactivity in their ad¬ 
vanced batteries was sufficiently com¬ 
pensated by their diligence and celerity 
at Algeziras: six ships were now in 
great forwardness, and on the 10th they 
began upon another. Of this interval 
of tranquillity, as we may call it 
(though the enemy had not quite dis¬ 
continued their fire), the governor took 
advantage, and employed it with inde¬ 
fatigable zeal in completing the works 
of the garrison. New batteries bearing 
on Waterport, which appeared to be his 
grand object of defence, were opened 
in the Moorish castle; a caissoned bat¬ 
tery was also erected at Upper Forbes’s, 
and some alterations made in the lines; 


movable palisades, with casks of earth, 
sand, &c. were distributed in various 
parts along the line-wall, to be ready 
in case a breach should be effected; 
and the outworks at Landport under¬ 
went some advantageous alterations. 
Two or three men about this time 
attempted to desert; but they were all 
retaken. 

On the 11th, between ten and eleven 
o’clock, an unlucky shell from the 
enemy fell through the splinter-proof, 
at the door of the magazine on Prin¬ 
cess Anne’s battery (Willis’s), and 
bursting, communicated to the powder, 
which instantly blew up. The explo¬ 
sion was so violent as to shake the 
whole rock, and throw the materials 
on both sides an almost incredible way 
into the sea. Three merlons on the 
west flank of the battery, with several 
unfortunate men who had run behind 
them for shelter, were forced down 
from the level of the platforms into the 
Prince’s lines, which, with the Queen’s 
below, were almost filled with rubbish. 
Another magazine near it happily 
escaped, though the door was thrown 
open by the explosion. Our loss by 
this dreadful accident was chiefly 
among the workmen who were em¬ 
ployed on the flank of the battery: 
1 drummer, and 13 rank and file, were 
killed; 3 serjeants, 3 drummers, and 
9 rank and file, wounded. Immedi¬ 
ately after the report of the explosion, 
and on the appearance of the large 
column of smoke, the enemy gave a 
loud huzza; their drums beat to arms 
in the camp; and some persons aver 
that their first line assembled, and were 
actually on their march towards Fort 
St. Philip, but afterwards returned. As 
the engineers, after the accident, got 
together the remains of the party, to 
effectually secure the magazine which 
had so miraculously escaped, the enemy 
continued the cannonade the remainder 
of the day; and, as if fate was resolved 
at that particular time to sport with our 
anxiety, in the course of this firing two 
other shells fell upon the remaining 
magazine, and one into the very splin¬ 
ter-proof in front of the door. Happily 
the latter did not go through; for if it 
had, this magazine might have shared 

i 





114 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. vi. 


the fate of its neighbour, and the whole 
of the batteries at Willis’s have pro¬ 
bably been materially injured. Prin¬ 
cess Anne’s battery, the flank of it ex¬ 
cepted, was not considerably damaged; 
the caissoned merlons were much 
shaken, and the battery filled with 
rubbish. However, before night the 
whole was cleared away, and several 
rounds fired from that battery, as well 
as from the other batteries, to con¬ 
vince the enemy that the misfortune 
was not of so much importance as they 
probably imagined. Indeed, from so 
dreadful an accident it was wonderful 
that the injury was not of greater con¬ 
sequence. 

The navy, on the 13th, under the 
direction of the engineers, began to 
caisson the west face of the New mole 
fort. About sunset, a soldier of the 
58th regiment, who had lately joined 
in the Vernon, deserted from Land- 
port : at night a picket was ordered to 
reinforce that guard. The 14th, a 
French frigate, with 18 or 19 polacres, 
&c. arrived in the bay. The same 
afternoon, a xebeque, returning to Al- 
geziras, from the east, stood in so close 
to the garrison, that she was perplexed 
by the eddy-winds, and remained a 
considerable time stationary. The gar¬ 
rison fired upon her, and the gun-boats 
were manned, and rowed out to attack 
her; but two of the enemy’s boats, 
coming to her assistance, towed her 
head round; and soon after a breeze 
carried her out of all danger. If our 
boats had got out a little earlier, she 
might have been roughly handled; 
and some were sanguine enough to 
think she might have been taken. 

As boats were constantly detached 
by the navy at nightfall, to row guard 
at some distance from the garrison, and 
give information of the approach of the 
gun-boats, or any other vessels, curio¬ 
sity often prompted them to approach 
the enemy’s shore; and for some pre¬ 
ceding nights they reported, that they 
heard, at Algeziras, a noise like that of 
men hard at work; whence we con¬ 
cluded, their impatience to finish their 
battering-ships made them embrace all 
opportunities, both by day and night. 
The 16th, a new camp was observed 


between the grand magazine and the 
Orange-grove. The battalion which 
occupied it were supposed to be disem¬ 
barked from the small convoy which 
arrived on the 14th. At night, a noise 
of boats was distinctly heard from our 
prames, at some distance in the bay; 
it however ceased on a gun being fired 
towards that quarter. This circum¬ 
stance occasioned new signals to be 
appointed for the prames. The 97th 
regiment, on the 17th, for the first time, 
gave a picket of 40 men. The follow¬ 
ing day, Hardenberg’s regiment was 
ordered, in case of an alarm, to act 
with the 58th at Europa, instead of 
marching to town. In the afternoon, 
a French convoy, of upwards of 60 sail, 
under 3 frigates, anchored in the bay, 
off the Guadaranque, from the east. 
As most of the ships had troops on 
board, we concluded it was the French 
reinforcement, of which we had re¬ 
ceived previous information. It proved 
to be a detachment from the French 
army, which had succeeded in the cap¬ 
ture of Minorca a short time before. 
The following evening, several Spanish 
and French general officers, with their 
suites, visited the lines; where they 
remained, excepting one general, who, 
accompanied by an artillery-officer and 
an engineer, came forward to the ad¬ 
vanced works, and stood some time in 
front of the St. Martin’s battery. At 
this time a group of those who remained 
in the lines were assembled on the 
glacis: our artillery thought proper to 
give them a shot, which the general in 
the advanced works probably took as a 
hint to retire; for he immediately pulled 
off his hat, and returned into the bat¬ 
tery. This circumstance served to con¬ 
firm us in our conjectures that the rein¬ 
forcement was French; and it was 
computed to be about 5000 men. Soon 
after the above fleet arrived, 5 gun¬ 
boats approached very near the town, 
apparently out of bravado, to demon¬ 
strate to their new friends how con 
temptuously they considered us; but, 
a few rounds taking effect, they retired 
in great confusion, and most likely paid 
dear for their arrogance. The 20th 
and 21st, the French troops disem¬ 
barked, and encamped to the east of 




1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


115 


the stone quarry, immediately under 
the Queen of Spain’s Chair. 

As affairs were daily becoming more 
interesting, the serjeants, and such 
drummers of the garrison as were able, 
were ordered, in case of alarm, to turn 
out with firelocks and accoutrements; 
which were accordingly delivered to 
the different regiments from the grand 
store. The governor seemed deter¬ 
mined to have no idle hands in the 
place at such a critical time. Musi¬ 
cians, who before had been exempted 
from duty, also returned to the use of 
the firelock and shovel. 

The morning of the 21st, two Ge¬ 
noese, formerly inhabitants of the gar¬ 
rison, who had been tak^n by the 


enemy in a settee bound for Gibraltar, 
made their escape in a boat from a 
prison-ship at Algeziras. They in¬ 
formed us that the grand attack was 
fixed to be in September; but that all, 
both sailors and soldiers, were much 
averse to the enterprise. In the after¬ 
noon, two general officers again visited 
the lines; and we remarked their 
guards did not relieve at their usual 
hour, but probably came down after 
twilight. From the 19th to the 21st, 
the enemy’s fire daily diminished; and 
on the 22nd, about five in the evening, 
their batteries were totally silent. This 
sudden cessation induced us to conclude 
that the Due de Crillon had assumed 
the command of the combined army. 


i 


12 






116 


• HISTORY OF THE 


[ciiap. vii. 


CHAPTER VII. 


Spaniards very active in completing their battering-ships—The nephew of the celebrated Cor¬ 
sican general, Pascal Paoli, arrives at Gibraltar, and offers, with others of his countrymen, 
to act as a volunteer during the siege—Enemy, after great preparations, commence the 
additional works on the isthmus—Letters between the Due de Crillon and General Eliott 
—Enemy’s works are by accident set on fire, which induces the duke to protect them by a 
temporary cannonade—The British seamen landed and formed into a marine brigade— 
Active operations of the besiegers—Some of the battering-ships remove to the Orango- 
grove, where the enemy begin to assemble their maritime force—Lieut. General Boyd re¬ 
commends an immediate trial of hot shot, the success of which provokes the enemy to open 
their new batteries before they are completed—The combined fleets of France and Spain 
arrive in the bay of Gibraltar—The grand attack—The battering-ships destroyed, and the 
enemy rescued from inevitable death by the gallantry of the marine brigade—Conduct of 
the besiegers after their defeat, till their small craft disperse. 


The court of Madrid, whose whole 
attention seemed bent upon the reco¬ 
very of Gibraltar, had hitherto found 
all her attempts, whether by sea or 
land, totally ineffectual, and the re¬ 
peated disgrace which her arms had 
suffered could not fail to mortify her 
pride. The cruel and wanton destruc¬ 
tion of the town had tended to no other 
purpose than to reflect dishonour on 
her measures in the eye of Europe. 
Pride and revenge, therefore, now 
urged her to the utmost exertions of 
her power and skill, so that no means 
were neglected, no expense was spared, 
to insure success. Her treasures were 
lavishly expended; the labour of the 
nation was exhausted in the magni¬ 
tude of the preparations; and her 
whole naval and military force now ap¬ 
peared directed to the recovery of that 
natural and ancient appendage of the 
crown. 

The Due de Crillon, lately returned 
from the conquest of Fort St. Philip, 
who had formerly commanded at the 
Spanish lines before Gibraltar, and 
was perfectly acquainted with the situ¬ 
ation of the garrison, was appointed to 
conduct the military force to be em¬ 
ployed in this arduous and interesting 
enterprise. With him were joined 
Monsieur d’Argon (a French engineer 


of great repute) and Admiral Moreno. 
The former had projected a plan, which 
had met with the approbation of his 
Most Catholic Majesty, for attacking the 
place with battering-ships, constructed 
upon such principles that they were 
equally considered as impregnable and 
incombustible; and, from the prodigious 
powers of which, little else was ex¬ 
pected than almost the annihilation of 
the garrison: the latter had rendered 
himself equally eminent with the gene¬ 
ral in the preceding conquest of Mi¬ 
norca. Under commanders of such 
distinguished ability, aided by every 
combination of force which human in¬ 
vention could devise, we need not in 
the least wonder at the flattering idea, 
universally formed by the nation, of 
the event. 

General Eliott, on the opposite side, 
unawed by the impending storm, pro¬ 
vided for every circumstance which 
might occur. Though surrounded on 
every hand with enemies, and far dis¬ 
tant from any hopes of relief and assist¬ 
ance, yet he reposed such confidence in 
the vigorous and united exertions of 
the little army under his command, 
whom he had already found superior 
to the greatest hardships, that he was 
not apprehensive of trusting the event 
to the decision of that fortune, which 





1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


117 


had been so often favourable to the in¬ 
terests of the garrison. 

The 24th of June, the garrison began 
to practise parapet-firing, with ball, at 
casks placed at different distances in 
the bay. Two days following, the 
enemy’s cannon were all under metal, 
and their advanced sentries and guards 
were reinforced. At Algeziras they 
still continued to work on seven ships: 
and in camp numerous parties were 
employed in landing great quantities of 
stores, and in ranging ordnance, &c. in 
their artillery park. Early on the 
morning of the 27th, the captain of the 
Queen’s lines guard challenged two 
persons who had approached to Forbes’s 
barrier; one of whom, finding they 
were observed, cried out in French, 
“ Don’t fire! ” after which, both in¬ 
stantly ran away toward the lines. In 
their retreat, one of them fell, and, his 
cloak coming unfolded, our sentries 
could distinguish that his uniform was 
white; which circumstance, added to 
that of their speaking French, induced 
us to conclude they were officers of 
that nation. A person of distinction, 
supposed to be the Due de Crillon, on 
the 30th, visited the lines and ad¬ 
vanced works. Our artillery fired a 
shot over him and his suite, to show 
them that they were observed. At 
night, a soldier of the 56th, attempting 
to desert from the Signal-house guard, 
was dashed to pieces in his descent 
The next day his body was exposed as 
a public spectacle, to intimidate others 
from provoking a similar fate. 

In the beginning of July, the tenth 
ship had been in hand two or three 
days; and the enemy’s artificers were 
at work on the tops of those which 
were in the greatest forwardness, 
placing strong timbers, in form of a 
dos d’ane, to serve as bomb-proofs. 
At night they raised their parallel se¬ 
veral fascines in height, and banked it 
up in front with sand. Though the 
enemy’s batteries had continued silent 
since the 22nd of June, the garrison 
persevered in a brisk discharge, direct¬ 
ing their fire to all parts of the lines, 
as well as the advanced works. The 
evening of the 2nd, a party of the 
enemy advanced to Bay-side barrier; 


but several rounds of grape, which 
were fired from Willis’s, soon forced 
them to retire. The succeeding evening 
they again attempted to take post there, 
and met with a similar reception. Our 
navy, under the direction of an en¬ 
gineer, about this time repaired the 
boom of Waterport, and sunk anchors 
in the shallow water at the back of the 
Old mole. The enemy, though we ex¬ 
pected it, never molested them in this 
duty: indeed they seemed too intent 
upon their own operations to pay atten¬ 
tion to any of ours. 

The success attending our progress 
in the gallery above Farringdon’s bat¬ 
tery, produced the idea of making a 
communication from the extremity of 
the King’s to the Queen’s lines; and, 
on the 6th, a party of miners began 
this new subterranean passage. Early 
the day following, a brig, coming in 
from the west, was taken by a xebeque 
and carried into Algeziras. If the 
master of this vessel had acted pru¬ 
dently, he might probably have escaped. 
On his first appearance, he coasted 
under French colours; but being 
abreast of the point, and observing a 
felucca standing out to speak him, he 
hoisted British, and fired a shot. This 
circumstance spread the alarm: four 
or five gun-boats immediately rowed 
out and opposed her passage till a xe¬ 
beque came up and run her aboard. 

The afternoon of the 18th, an extra¬ 
ordinary instance of gallantry and pre¬ 
sence of mind occurred at the labora¬ 
tory adjoining the South bastion. An 
artilleryman, named Hartley, was em¬ 
ployed in the laboratory filling shells 
with carcass composition, and driving 
fuses into 5^ and 6 inch shells. One 
of them, by some unaccountable ac¬ 
cident, took fire in the operation; and, 
although he was surrounded with un¬ 
fixed fuses, loaded shells, composition, 
&c., with the most astonishing coolness 
he carried out the lighted shell, and 
threw it where it could do little or no 
harm, and two seconds had scarcely 
elapsed before it exploded. If the shell 
had burst in the laboratory it is almost 
certain the whole would have been 
blown up, when the loss in fixed ammu¬ 
nition, fuses, &c., &c., would have been 







118 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VII. 


irreparable, exclusive of the damage 
which the fortifications must have suf¬ 
fered from the explosion, and the lives 
that might have been lost. He was 
handsomely rewarded by the governor. 
The night of the 10th, a soldier of De 
la Motte’s, who had been missing from 
the 5th, was discovered by the quarter- 
guard of that regiment stealing bread 
from the men’s tents: he was instantly 
pursued, but could not be overtaken. 
The next day, however, he was found 
concealed in a cave. Two others had 
also been retaken within a few preced¬ 
ing days. Such attention had been 
paid to scarping the back of the rock, 
that it was little short of madness in 
these wretches, at this period, to at¬ 
tempt desertion. 

Some experiments were made, in the 
beginning of this month, with large 
stones, cut to fit the calibre of a 13- 
inch mortar. The stones had a small 
hole drilled in the centre which being 
filled with a sufficient quantity of pow¬ 
der, they were fired with a short fuse, 
to burst over the enemy’s works; and 
the fragments were expected to do 
some damage, as well as alarm their 
workmen. It was an unusual mode of 
annoyance, and for its novelty was used 
for some time, but was soon laid aside. 
The 11th, in the afternoon, four sailors, 
under pretence of visiting some fishing- 
pots, deserted to the enemy. Two of 
them were concerned in the conspiracy 
to run away with the Speedwell cutter, 
as mentioned, some months before. 
The following evening, a serjeant of 
the 72nd regiment, who had absented 
himself several days from his corps, 
and who, previous to his absence, had 
left a letter signifying his intention to 
desert, was retaken half-way down the 
rock, between Charles the Fifth’s wall 
and Mount Misery. He was so situ¬ 
ated as to be unable to descend or 
return, and was at length obliged to 
cry for assistance; which being heard 
by the guard at the former post, search 
was made for the unhappy man, and 
he was afterwards executed. 

A deserter from the regiment of 
Bechart came in on the 14th: he ac¬ 
quainted us that the Due de Crillon 
had assumed the command of the siege, 


and that General Don Alvarez had 
quitted the camp; that the combined 
army consisted of forty-five battalions of 
infantry, including eight French bat¬ 
talions, two battalions of Spanish, and 
four companies of French artillery, 
beside cavalry ; but, owing to desertion, 
their numbers were considerably dimi¬ 
nished. The battering-ships, he said, 
were to have on board French artillery; 
and it was reported they would be 
completed in about six weeks, the time 
we had calculated ourselves from ob¬ 
servations on their progress. About 
this period additional forges for heat¬ 
ing shots were established in different 
parts of the garrison, with all the pro¬ 
per apparatus. The 15th, the enemy 
laid a boom of spars from the breakers 
north of the island at Algeziras towards 
the northward: some few days after¬ 
wards it was considerably lengthened, 
and the gun-boats were ranged in front 
of it: a boom was also placed between 
the island and the main land. We con¬ 
cluded these obstructions were intended 
to defend their battering-ships from 
any attempts we might make to destroy 
them before they were completed. The 
same day an embrasure was opened in 
the face of the rock, communicating 
with the gallery above Farringdon’s: 
the mine was loaded with an unusual 
quantity of powder, and the explosion 
was so amazingly loud, that almost the 
whole of the enemy’s camp turned out 
at the report: but what must their sur¬ 
prise have been when they observed 
whence the smoke issued! The ori¬ 
ginal intention of this opening was to 
communicate air to the workmen, who 
before were almost suffocated with the 
smoke which remained after blowing the 
different mines; but, on examining the 
aperture more closely, an idea was con¬ 
ceived of mounting a gim to bear on 
all the enemy’s batteries, excepting 
Fort Barbara: accordingly orders were 
given to enlarge the inner part for the 
recoil; and, when finished, a twenty- 
four-pounder was mounted.* 


* This novel formation of a covered battery 
was afterwards extended, and the work was 
prosecuted with such success, that four, if not 
five guns were mounted in the gallery, before 
the subsequent September; and in a little 






1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


119 


The 18th, a soldier of the 56th regi¬ 
ment who had escaped from the quar¬ 
ter-guard some days before, and who, 
it is imagined, had endeavoured to 
desert, surrendered himself voluntarily 
to the main guard. One of the 58th, 
and another of the 97th regiment, had 
got off in the former part of the month: 
the discouragement, however, which 
had of late attended these deluded 
wretches, we were in hopes, would now 
deter others from attempting to aban¬ 
don their colours at this critical junc¬ 
ture. 

Our artillery, as the firing was very 
inconsiderable, were now chiefly en¬ 
gaged in preparing shells and carcasses 
to be used against the enemy’s ships. 
The engineers were also equally inde¬ 
fatigable in their department. On the 
part of the besiegers, multitudes of 
mules were constantly employed in 
different duties in their camp, and 
large parties continued to land military 
stores and powder at the Orange-grove. 
The 25th, the St. Philip’s Castle and 
Hector cutter arrived from the east¬ 
ward, and communicated the agreeable 
news of the entire defeat of the French 
fleet in the West Indies by Admiral 
Sir George Rodney, with the capture 
of the Ville de Paris, and the French 
admiral, the Comte de Grasse. In 
consequence of this victory, a grand 
salute was fired at noon; and in the even¬ 
ing a feu-de-joie, by the troops drawn 
up from the Grand battery to the New 
mole fort. Signor Leonetti, nephew to 
Pascal Paoli, the celebrated Corsican 
general, with two officers, a chaplain, 
and 68 volunteers, came as passengers 
in these vessels to offer their services 
to the governor. In the course of the 
same day, our engineers began to fix a 
chevaux-de-frise from the foot of Land- 
port glacis, adjoining Waterport, to 
the sloping palisades on the causeway, 
and thence to be continued across the 
Inundation to the advanced covered¬ 
way, leading to Lower Forbes’s bar- 


more than, twelve months from the day the 
engineers commenced, it was advanced to the 
projection of the rock, where the governor 
purposed to make a battery; which afterwards 
was effected, and is now distinguished by the 
name of St. George’s Hall. 


rier. The enemy did not molest the 
party on this duty; which to us ap¬ 
peared very extraordinary. 

A boat arrived on the 26th with two 
packets from Faro, which mentioned 
that the enemy’s preparations for the 
attack would be complete by the mid¬ 
dle of August, and that all the boats 
along the coast in the vicinity of Cadiz 
were already engaged to embark troops 
for'the expedition. A private letter by 
this boat gave us some general informa¬ 
tion of the immense preparations which 
were making, and some idea of the 
construction of the new-invented ves¬ 
sels, which had inspired the enemy 
with such confidence of success. It re¬ 
cited, “ That ten ships were to be for¬ 
tified six or seven feet thick, on the 
larboard side, with green timber bolted 
with iron, cork, junk, and raw hides; 
which were to carry guns of heavy 
metal, and be bomb-proof on the top, 
with a descent for the shells to slide 
off: that these vessels, which they sup¬ 
posed would be impregnable, were to 
be moored within half gun-shot of the 
walls with iron chains ; and large boats 
with mantlets were to lie off at some 
distance, full of troops, to assist, and be 
ready to take advantage of occurrences: 
that the mantlets of these boats were to 
be formed with hinges to fall down, to 
facilitate their landing: that they were 
to have 40,000 men in camp, and the 
principal attack was to be made by 
sea, to be covered by a squadron of 
men-of-war, with bomb-ketches, float¬ 
ing batteries, gun and mortar boats, &c.: 
and that the Comte d’Artois, brother to 
the King of France, with other great 
personages, was to be present at the 
attack.” 

Toward the conclusion of the month, 
our attention was engaged for several 
nights successively by a great noise on 
the isthmus, like that of a large body 
of men at work: a few light balls were 
thrown in different parts to discover 
whence it proceeded; but we could never 
discern any men, except their patroles: 
it was therefore imagined these parties 
were employed within the lines. The 
29th, the wooden buildings in the navy 
yard at the New mole were taken down 
and removed to Rosia, where they 





120 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. vii. 


were afterwards re-established on an 
enlarged plan. As the communications 
along the line-wall, &e. to the north¬ 
ward were expected to be much ex¬ 
posed to the enemy’s fire when the 
ships were brought before the walls, 
the engineers, about this time, began a 
covered-way along the rampart, from 
Orange’s bastion to the Grand parade, 
and thence to be continued to South- 
port : this was done by clearing away 
the rubbish from the old houses imme¬ 
diately under the works, and filling 
others up, which also served as tra¬ 
verses against the land batteries. An¬ 
other covered-way was likewise made 
to communicate from the Princess of 
Wales’s lines with the South barracks. 
The 31st, upward of 100 covered wag¬ 
gons came to the enemy’s lines from 
the camp, supposed to be laden with 
ammunition and stores for the batteries. 

Appearances became daily more im¬ 
portant in the month of August. The 
enemy’s artificers were remarkably 
diligent at Algeziras, and the cruisers 
became more attentive to the blockade. 
They were particularly suspicious of 
every vessel that came in sight from 
the west; and the gun-boats were sta¬ 
tioned out as night-cruisers; which 
probably was the reason why we had 
not been for some time visited by them. 
In their camp every person seemed 
employed ; and their depots of fascines 
and pickets were very considerable, 
notwithstanding the quantities continu¬ 
ally removed to the lines. Nor were 
we less active in taking advantage of 
this interval: large and lofty traverses 
were raised along the line-wall; new 
communications were made at Willis’s; 
the flank of the Princess Anne’s battery 
was rebuilt, and heavy metal mounted, 
to bear over Waterport. The 4th, the 
Corsican volunteers were formed into 
an independent corps, under Signor 
Leonetti, who was appointed captain- 
commandant. The company consisted 
of a captain and captain-lieutenant, first 
and second lieutenants, one adjutant, one 
chaplain, four serjeants, four corporals, 
two drummers, and sixty-eight privates. 
They were armed with a firelock and 
bayonet, each a horse-pistol slung on 
the left side, and two cartridge-boxes. 


The governor quartered them on Wind¬ 
mill-hill, and committed that post to 
their charge. 

As the completing of the subter¬ 
ranean communication from the King’s 
to the Queen’s lines appeared (from the 
difficulty at that time attending the rein¬ 
forcing of the latter, in case ofan alarm) 
to be an object of great importance, the 
governor, on the 5th, ordered all the 
miners in the different regiments into 
the King’s works, to prosecute it with 
greater diligence, and assist in the gal¬ 
lery above Farringdon’s, which now 
extended 140 feet in the solid rock. 
The same day the enemy removed the 
old masts out of several of the batter¬ 
ing-ships, substituting jury-masts in 
their places. Three hulls now ap¬ 
peared nearly finished. The evening 
of the 6th, the governor thought pro¬ 
per to detach a trusty serjeant, with 
four men, from Landport, to a recess 
in the rock under the Queen’s lines, 
near Lower Forbes’s, with orders to 
advance a sentry to the barrier, who 
was to listen attentively to what was 
transacting upon the neutral ground; 
but by no means to fire, except in his 
own defence. This party was to with¬ 
draw at the grey of the morning, that 
they might not be observed by the 
enemy. 

The 7th came in a deserter who had 
been formerly in our service at Mi¬ 
norca. He swam from behind Fort 
Barbara, and landed at the Devil’s 
tower; near which place he met a 
patrole of cavalry, but, throwing him¬ 
self on the ground, was not observed. 
He said the duke was resolved to fire, 
the 25th instant; and, from the pro¬ 
digious number of mortars mounted in 
the lines, reports were industriously 
propagated in the camp, that our ord¬ 
nance would soon be silenced by their 
superior fire, and the batteries beaten 
to powder. He further acquainted us, 
that there were 34,000 men in camp, 
and but little intercourse between the 
Spaniards and their allies, who were 
principally new levies, and very little 
disciplined; concluding with a con¬ 
firmation of the last intelligence, that 
the soldiers in general so disrelished 
the business, that many daily deserted 




1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


121 


with their arms into the country. We 
continued to fire a few light balls at 
night, for fear the enemy should make 
any addition to their advanced works, 
which, from the immense quantity of 
materials brought to the lines, we sus¬ 
pected would be commenced very soon; 
and, as it was apprehended their ad¬ 
vances would be made to the eastward, 
the guns at Willis’s and the heights 
bearing toward that quarter were 
loaded with grape to be more effectual 
in the execution, in case they were dis¬ 
covered. On the 11th, the 72nd regi¬ 
ment, which was quartered in the bas¬ 
tions in town, independent of their 
quota towards the other duties of the 
garrison, voluntarily offered to assist in 
making the new covered-way from the 
Grand parade to Orange’s bastion; and 
100 of them were immediately employed. 
The governor, however, as a compensa¬ 
tion for their zeal, ordered them to be 
paid as real-men (that is, to receive two 
reals each per day; which is equal, at 
par, to about 9 d. sterling) with the ad¬ 
dition to each man of a pint of grog. 

The enemy on the 13th got up the 
masts and yards in several ships, and 
bent the sails of two; but, from the 
appearance of the whole, we did not 
think they could be finished by the 
25th. Some few days before, they lined 
the upper port-holes of the two-deckers 
with tin, to protect, as we imagined, 
the cheeks of the ports from being 
burnt by the constant firing of the 
cannon. In the evening, the 97th 
regiment furnished, for the first time, a 
working party of 120 men, to remove 
ship-timbers from the New mole to 
Montague’s bastion, where the engineers 
intended to erect a cavalier for two 
guns. 

About this time a species of influenza 
made its appearance on board the fri¬ 
gates in the Mole, and soon communi¬ 
cated with the garrison. Its general 
symptoms were sudden pains, accom¬ 
panied with a dizziness in the head; 
though others were affected in a dif¬ 
ferent manner. For several days near 
100 men were daily taken to the hos¬ 
pital ; but bleeding and a night’s rest 
usually removed it. It was attributed 
at that time to the extraordinary heat 


of the atmosphere, which was unusually 
warm, owing to the extensive fires 
made by the Spaniards on the neigh¬ 
bouring hills, and the stagnant state of 
the air ; but we have since learned that 
it was universal over Europe, and we 
had reason, at that time, to think the 
enemy were not less affected by it than 
the garrison. 

A general officer, supposed to be the 
Due de Crillon, but who, it was after¬ 
wards learned, was the Comte d’Artois, 
visited, on the 15th, the advanced 
works ; we soon had reason to believe 
that his object was to reconnoitre the 
ground, previous to entering upon the 
succeeding additions which were made 
to the parallel; for, the subsequent 
morning at daybreak, to our great 
astonishment, we discovered that they 
had raised, during the preceding night, 
a very strong and lofty epaulment, in 
extent about 500 yards, connecting the 
parallel to the eastern breach, with a 
communication, near 1300 yards long, 
extending from the principal barrier of 
the lines to the east end of the new 
epaulment. Their works now em¬ 
braced each shore of the isthmus, and 
fully completed the first parallel. . The 
communication, or boyau (as it was 
distinguished by our engineers), con¬ 
sisted of casks filled with sand, which 
was also thrown up in front, having 
traverses at equal distances in the rear, 
made of casks and fascines: but the 
epaulment appeared to be raised en¬ 
tirely with sand-bags, from ten to twelve 
feet high, with a thickness proportion- 
able ; and altogether was a most stu¬ 
pendous work. Its purpose however 
was not immediately pointed out. To 
erect these new additions in so short a 
time, we computed, at a moderate cal¬ 
culation, must have employed 10,000 
men, which was afterwards confirmed 
to us by their officers; and that so 
numerous a party should be at work 
within 800 yards of the garrison, itself 
on the alert, and not be discovered, 
must appear, to a person not present, 
almost incredible. We threw a few 
light balls whilst they were at work, 
one of which, we afterwards learned, 
greatly alarmed them; but, finding 
they were not discovered, they resumed 




122 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap, til 


their occupation, and withdrew in the 
morning unobserved. The Spanish 
gazette described this parallel as of 230 
toises* in length ; and added, that one 
million six hundred thousand sand-bags 
were used in raising it. The commu¬ 
nication it mentioned to have been in 
length G30 toises, and formed of fascines 
and casks. The governor at night did 
not order an increase of firing on the 
new works: a few rounds were dis¬ 
charged, with several carcasses and 
light-balls; but the latter were almost 
immediately extinguished. 

The night of the 17th, the enemy 
brought a great number of casks, 
pickets, and fascines, to the rear of 
the eastern communication, which was 
raised to a little extent near the barrier. 
They also erected three epaulments 
with retiring flanks of sand-bags, for 
mortar batteries in the parallel. Two 
were to the westward, and the third to 
the eastward of the Mahon battery. 

The morning of the 18th, we ob¬ 
served one of the battering-ships at 
anchor off Barcelo’s battery. About 
noon, the men-of-war at Algeziras were 
decorated with flags, as was customary 
on the celebration of a festival; and, 
what did not escape our observation, 
the English ensign was at the main- 
top-gallant mast-head of the admiral’s 
ship, with the Spanish ensign flying 
triumphantly over it. Soon after, 
seven barges with crimson awnings 
rowed from Algeziras to the Orange- 
grove, where they received on board 
some great personages, and returned to 
Algeziras, escorted by 15 gun-boats, 
which repeatedly fired salutes, as did 
the men-of-war: on their return 
amongst the shipping, the battering- 
ships hoisted their ensigns, and salutes 
were again fired by the men-of-war. 
The barges then proceeded to the bat¬ 
tering-ship which was anchored apart 
from the rest, where they remained 
some time ; and, on the company’s 
quitting the ship, she fired a salute of 
eight guns, and the boats went along¬ 
side the admiral. About three, the 
battering-ship got under way, and 


* A toise is equal to our fathom, or six 
feet. 


sailed to the northward, past the flag¬ 
ship : she endeavoured to sail back, 
but in vain; and was obliged to be 
towed to her station by 10 gun-boats. 
At six o’clock, three barges only re¬ 
turned from the Spanish admiral to 
the Orange-grove, and were saluted 
and recouducted with the same cere¬ 
mony as before. We now imagined 
that the Comte d’Artois was arrived, 
and these compliments were paid in 
consequence of his dining with the 
Spanish admiral. Our firing at night 
was very brisk. The succeeding morn¬ 
ing we perceived that the enemy had 
constructed nine traverses adjoining the 
eastern part of the epaulment, and had 
raised the boyau with fascines. The 
epaulment for another mortar battery 
was likewise erected in the parallel 
opposite the Centre redoubt. At night 
the enemy were heard hard at work: 
our firing was consequently increased 
by the addition of the lower batteries: 
the enemy did not return a shot. 

On the 19th, a small magazine blew 
up in the enemy’s camp, near Buena 
Vista, which set a hut on fire. About 
noon, a flag of truce came from the 
duke : the officer appeared to be a 
person of rank, as the boat had a crim¬ 
son awning, and the rowers were in 
uniform. After passing and repassing 
several times, our boat returned with a 
present, from the duke to the governor, 
of ice, fruit, vegetables, &c. The 
officers informed us that the salutes 
fired the preceding day were in com¬ 
pliment to the Comte d’Artois, &c. 
The following was handed about as a 
genuine translation of the duke’s letter 
on this occasion; therefore, without 
vouching for its authenticity, it is here 
inserted to gratify the curiosity of the 
reader. 

“ Camp, of Buena Vista, 
Aug. 19, 1782.” 

“Sir, —His Royal Highness Comte 
d’Artois, who has received permission 
from the king his brother to assist at 
the siege, as a volunteer in the combined 
army, of which their Most Christian 
and Catholic Majesties have honoured 
me with the command, arrived in this 
camp the 15th instant. This young 






1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


123 


prince has been pleased, in passing 
through Madrid, to take charge of 
some letters which had been sent to 
that capital from this place, and which 
are addressed to persons belonging to 
your garrison: his Royal Highness has 
desired that I would transmit them to 
you, and that to this mark of his good¬ 
ness and attention I should add the 
strongest expressions of esteem for your 
person and character. I feel the great¬ 
est pleasure in giving this mark of con¬ 
descension in this august prince, as it 
furnishes me with a pretext, which I 
have been anxiously looking for these 
two months that I have been in camp, 
to assure you of the highest esteem I 
have conceived for your Excellency, of 
the sincerest desire I feel of deserving 
yours, and of the pleasure to which I 
look forward of becoming your friend, 
after I shall have learned to render 
myself worthy of the honour, by facing 
you as an enemy. His Highness the 
Due de Bourbon, who arrived here 
twenty-four hours after the Comte 
d’Artois, desires also that I should 
assure you of his particular esteem. 

“ Permit me, Sir, to offer a few 
trifles for your table, of which I am 
6ure you must stand in need, as I know 
you live entirely upon vegetables: I 
should be glad to know what kind you 
like best. I shall add a few head of 
game for the gentlemen of your house¬ 
hold, and some ice, which I presume 
will not be disagreeable in the exces¬ 
sive heat of this climate at this season 
of the year. I hope you will be 
obliging enough to accept the small 
portion which I send with this letter. 
—I have the honour to be, &c. 

“ B. B. Due de Crillon. 

•** His Excellency 
General Eliott. &c.” 

The barge which brought the letter 
and present ranged at a short distance 
along the town, from off the Old mole 
head to Ragged Staff, where she was 
stopped by our flag; but being thought 
rather too near, as they might thence 
make what observations they chose on 
our batteries, a shot was fired over her 
from the Repulse prame ; upon which 
she rowed further out in the bay, and 


waited at a considerable distance for 
the return of our flag. The night of 
the 19 th, the enemy raised the semi¬ 
circular parapet of the place d’armes 
joining the east flank of the St. Carlos’s 
battery, with sand-bags eight or nine 
feet high, apparently for a battery: 
they also made some considerable ad¬ 
ditions to the eastern works. The day 
following, a flag of truce went from 
the garrison with an answer to the 
duke’s polite letter of the preceding 
day: the governor’s letter was reported 
to be to the following purpose :— 

“ Gibraltar, Aug. 20, 1782.” 

“ Sir,— I find myself highly honoured 
by your obliging letter of yesterday, in 
which your Excellency was so kind as 
to inform me of the arrival in your 
camp of his Royal Highness the Comte 
d’Artois, and the Due de Bourbon, to 
serve as volunteers at the siege. These 
princes have shown their judgment in 
making choice of a master in the art of 
war, whose abilities cannot fail to form 
great warriors. I am overpowered with 
the condescension of his Royal Highness, 
in suffering some letters for persons in 
this town to be conveyed from Madrid 
in his carriages. I flatter myself that 
your Excellency will give my most pro¬ 
found respects to his Royal Highness, 
and to the Due de Bourbon, for the 
expressions of esteem with which they 
have been pleased to honour so insig¬ 
nificant a person as I am. 

“ I return a thousand thanks to your 
Excellency for your handsome present 
of fruits, vegetables, and game. You 
will excuse me, however, I trust, when 
I assure you, that, in accepting your 
present, I have broken through a reso¬ 
lution to which I had faithfully adhered 
since the beginning of the war; and 
that was, never to receive or procure, 
by any means whatever, any provisions 
or other commodity for my own private 
use: so that, without any preference, 
everything is sold publicly here; and 
the private soldier, if he have money, 
can become a purchaser as well as the 
governor. I confess I make it a point 
of honour to partake both of plenty and 
scarcity in common with the lowest of 
my brave fellow-soldiers. This ffir- 





124 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VII. 


mishes me with an excuse for the liberty 
I now take, of entreating your Excel¬ 
lency not to heap any more favours on 
me of this kind, as in future I cannot 
convert your presents to my own pri¬ 
vate use. Indeed, to be plain with 
your Excellency, though vegetables at 
this season are scarce with us, every 
man has got a quantity proportioned to 
the labour which he has bestowed in 
raising them. The English are na¬ 
turally fond of gardening and culti¬ 
vation; and here we find our amuse¬ 
ment in it, during the intervals of rest 
from public duty. The promise which 
the Due de Crillon makes, of honour¬ 
ing me in proper time and place with 
his friendship, lays me under infinite 
obligations. The interest of our sove¬ 
reigns being once solidly settled, I 
shall with eagerness embrace the first 
opportunity to avail myself of so pre¬ 
cious a treasure.—I have the honour 
to be, &c. 

“ G. A. Eliott. 

“ His Excellency 
the Due de Crillon, &c.” 

Our artillery, on the night of the 
20th, fired with great vivacity from 
the upper and lower batteries, in all 
directions; for the objects now were 
so numerous and divided, the parallel 
being upwards of half a mile in extent, 
that we could not always be certain 
where to find them employed. In the 
morning we observed they had raised 
the boyau, and made some alterations 
in the western works. The enemy’s 
operations were not now carried on in 
the same slow manner as formerly: the 
duke seemed determined to act with vi¬ 
gour, and astonish us by the rapidity 
with which he raised his batteries. His 
army was numerous, and his orders 
(if we may credit report) with respect 
to means and materials unlimited. 
Every exertion was therefore used to 
complete them with expedition. Whilst 
crur opponents were so active, we were 
pot on our parts indolent, or inatten¬ 
tive to the defence of the garrison. 
The late additions of the enemy made 
considerable alterations necessary in 
the works at Willis’s, &c. Our parties 
were therefore augmented, and em¬ 


ployed in strengthening the commu¬ 
nications, repairing the splinter-proofs, 
and on other important duties of the 
same nature. Green’s lodge and the 
Royal battery were ordered to be cais- 
soned with ship-timber: the intrenched 
covered-way from the Princess of 
Wales’s lines was continued, and sloping 
palisades placed under those parts of the 
line-wall, from the eight-gun bastion 
to the New mole, which were not well 
flanked from above. A boom of masts 
was likewise laid from the former to 
the head of the watering-tank, and 
anchors sunk in the shallow water be¬ 
tween that bastion and Ragged Staff. 

The afternoon of the 21st a carcass 
from Willis’s set fire to some loose 
fascines in the rear of the Eastern 
boyau, which soon communicated to 
the work itself; and the line for a con¬ 
siderable extent was involved in the 
flames. On the appearance of the smoke 
our lower batteries immediately opened, 
and a most animated cannonade was 
directed from the garrison. A party 
of the enemy endeavoured^ to extin¬ 
guish the fire; but, finding their efforts 
to stop its progress in vain, they gal¬ 
lantly pulled down the line on each 
side to prevent the flames from spread¬ 
ing; which they at length effected, 
but not without considerable loss from 
our artillery. For some time we imar 
gined the enemy would remain silent 
spectators of the conflagration; but, 
an officer arriving at the lines about 
six o’clock, their batteries instantly 
returned the fire, seconded soon after 
by the new thirteen-gun battery near 
the Tower; the latter, however, after 
four or five discharges, was silenced 
by the Old mole head howitzers. Our 
fire was so brisk and so well served, 
that it exceeded theirs by four to one. 
About half-past seven the flames burnt 
out; and our additional ordnance, as 
well as the enemy’s batteries, ceased. 
In this short firing they returned 743 
shot and 38 shells; and we expended 
in the 24 hours, including what were 
discharged on this occasion, 90 bar¬ 
rels of powder. We had three men^ 
slightly wounded. In the prior part 
of the day, 13 feluccas arrived in the 
bay from the east: some imagined they 




1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


125 


were intended for additional gun-boats; 
others, for debarking troops. The 22nd, 
the enemy had repaired the damage 
done by the fire the preceding day; 
but in the afternoon another similar 
accident had nearly happened: a car¬ 
cass was thrown into the St. Martin’s 
battery, and took effect; but the guard 
exerted themselves with such activity 
and bravery, that it was soon extin¬ 
guished, although our lower batteries 
were again open to support it. The 
enemy were on this day totally silent. 
The succeeding night they dressed and 
raised the new communication, and 
made some additions to the eastern part 
of the parallel: they were also at 
work in their new mortar batteries; 
and great quantities of materials were 
brought down to the lines, and into the 
advanced works. 

The 24th, the inhabitants in Hardy- 
town began early to remove their bed¬ 
ding, &c. towards Europa: they were 
confident, from the information of the 
last deserters, that the enemy would 
again open their batteries the succeeding 
day, being the anniversary of St. Louis; 
and no persuasions could banish their 
apprehensions. They were however 
convinced, the following day, that the 
duke was not prepared, whatever his 
intentions might have been some weeks 
before. 

The enemy being heard at work, on 
the night of the 24th, drew a warm 
fire from our batteries. In the morn¬ 
ing we found they had raised addi¬ 
tional traverses to the sand-bag epaul- 
ment, which now presented a formid¬ 
able battery of sixty-four embrasures, 
divided into four batteries of fourteen 
embrasures each, and one of eight; 
leaving a space at the eastern extre¬ 
mity, as we concluded, for mortars. 
The original epaulment remained en¬ 
tire, the additional merlons joining at 
proper intervals the front work, which 
served to mask the embrasures till the 
batteries were finished. Several embra¬ 
sures of the 8-gun battery they had 
already lined with fascines. Some ad¬ 
ditions were also made to the St. Car¬ 
los’s battery, the parapet of which was 
lengthened toward the west. The fol¬ 
lowing night the enemy, notwithstand¬ 


ing a warm fire from the garrison 
erected three large magazines, and, 
began a fourth in the rear of the 64- 
gun battery: they likewise lined many 
of the embrasures with fascines, and 
raised a sand-bag traverse to cover the 
communication from the west flank 
of the 64-gun battery to the paral¬ 
lel. 

The 26th, the Queen Charlotte, Le¬ 
onora, and Charles, ordnance-ships, 
with the St. Philip’s Castle, were or¬ 
dered into the Mole to be run ashore 
till the expected attack was decided. 
The seamen belonging to the frigates 
were employed also about this time in 
carrying sails and yards to erect tents 
for a camp at Europa, where they were 
to be stationed when the governor 
should think proper to order them on 
shore. In the evening, about ten o’clock, 
came in a deserter, an Irishman, who 
formerly had been in our service: he 
swam from the beach beyond Fort St. 
Philip, and attempted to land at Bay- 
side, but was fired upon by their ad¬ 
vanced sentries. He informed us it 
was reported that the duke had intended 
firing on the 25th, but was prevented 
from finishing his batteries so soon as 
he expected by the heavy fire from 
the garrison: that, in their endeavours 
to extinguish the flames on the pre¬ 
ceding 21st, the party had sustained 
very considerable loss: a colonel and 
17 men of the regiment to which he 
belonged were killed. He corrobo¬ 
rated the intelligence, by the last de¬ 
serter, concerning the number of men 
in camp, and respecting the preva¬ 
lence of desertion. 

We did not discover any material 
additions the morning of the 27th: a 
fifth magazine was erected; also seve¬ 
ral traverses in the rear of the parallel. 
Another of the battering-ships an¬ 
chored the same day off Barcelo’s bat¬ 
tery, apart from the rest: as she swung 
round with the tide, we had an oppor¬ 
tunity of viewing with glasses the star¬ 
board-side, which we perceived was 
not closed in and finished like the oppo¬ 
site side ; the bomb-proof only extend¬ 
ing about three parts over, leaving con¬ 
siderable openings between the strong 
uprights which supported it from the 




126 


HISTORY OF THE 


[CHAP. VII. 


deck, for the convenient reception 
of men, provisions, and ammunition. 
We observed, the same day, a great 
number of boats ranged along the shore 
at Algeziras. In the afternoon, the 
Repulse prame came into the New 
mole; and the succeeding morning the 
Fortune and Vanguard were likewise 
withdrawn from the bay. At night 
the enemy erected a number of tra¬ 
verses in rear of their parallel and bat¬ 
tery, and finished some interior work, 
as they had done the preceding night, 
though we kept up our usual fire. 

The enemy’s squadron was rein¬ 
forced on the 28th with six Spanish 
line-of-battle ships and a xebeque, 
under a commodore, from the west. 
In the course of the day, two 24-pound¬ 
ers were taken up the hill to the gal¬ 
lery above Farringdon’s, for the em¬ 
brasures already opened; and 400 ad¬ 
ditional workmen were ordered into the 
works. Upwards of 600 men were at 
this time daily employed at Willis’s, 
covering and strengthening the flanks: 
likewise in forming new communica¬ 
tions, with splinter-proofs, traverses, 
&c., as the new battery enfiladed most 
of the old covered-ways, and rendered 
a thorough change necessary in those 
works, before the artillery could be 
properly covered. The communica¬ 
tions in town and at the south were 
therefore discontinued, till the above 
were put in the best state of defence and 
security. At dusk, three serjeants were 
posted upon the North, King’s, and 
South bastions, to observe and report 
the enemy’s signals in camp, and along 
the coast. At night, a deserter from 
the Walons came over in the same 
manner as the last. He reported, that 
a very strong party was ordered for 
work that evening; which induced the 
governor to increase the firing from 
Willis’s, the lines, and lower batterits. 
He further acquainted us, that we 
killed numbers of their workmen; and 
that the 15th of next month was fixed 
for opening upon the garrison: but 
that all, even the volunteers, were dis¬ 
heartened at the very thoughts of the 
attack. Ninety pieces of cannon, he 
likewise said, were brought into the 
64-gun battery; which number was to 


be increased, to supply the place of 
those which might be damaged, or 
over-heated. The night of the 28th, 
the enemy raised more traverses, and 
began communications to their rnaga-* 
zines: 153 of the former were erected 
behind the long boyau. They also 
worked upon the mortar batteries. 

It was about this period that the 
Spanish 26-pounders, with other guns 
of the same heavy nature, were dis¬ 
tributed on the sea-line in room of ord* 
nance of smaller calibre, which were 
mounted in their places against the 
enemy’s batteries. By this disposition 
the duke would not have it in his 
power to return any of the shot we 
fired, as his cannon were all 26-pound¬ 
ers ; and the governor was enabled to 
retaliate on their shipping, those shot 
which he had received from the land; 
annoying them by this means with 
their own weapons. Toward the con¬ 
clusion of the month, the influenza had 
almost disappeared: the working par¬ 
ties were therefore reinforced, though 
the heavy duty of the guards would 
with difficulty permit it: on the 29th, 
the engineers paraded upwards of 
1700 workmen, including non-com¬ 
missioned officers. The enemy, on 
the night of the 29th, raised merlons 
for four embrasures, joining the semi¬ 
circular sand-bag epaulment, east of 
St. Carlos’s battery. Six battering- 
ships were at anchor off Barcelo’s bat¬ 
tery on the 30th. The same day our 
seamen were ordered on shore, to en¬ 
camp at Europa. At night, the artil¬ 
lery, in addition to their former fire, 
opened the Grand battery: it did not 
however prevent the enemy from plat¬ 
forming the 64-gun battery, and making 
further additions to the mortar batteries. 
They also lined with fascines the embra¬ 
sures of the semicircular 4-gun bat¬ 
tery. Many hundred mules were still 
employed in bringing clay and fascines 
to the parallel. Our fire was very de¬ 
structive amongst these animals, as well 
as their workmen; two, three, and 
sometimes more of the former being 
frequently seen dead on the sands at 
daybreak. 

Our engineers, by the close of the 
month, had extended Landport che- 





1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


127 


vaux-de-frise to the causeway, and 
begun the other across the Inundation. 
Carpenters were also engaged in caisson- 
ing the Royal and Green’s lodge batte¬ 
ries, and raising new traverses at those 
posts. The enemy’s squadron in the bay 
at this period was as follows : four line- 
oi-battle ships, and one of 50 guns (on 
board of which was the flag), two fri¬ 
gates, three cutters, four bomb-ketches, 
and smaller armed vessels, were at 
Algeziras: two ships of the line were 
at anchor off the Orange-grove ; and a 
frigate, with an armed brig, was at Ca- 
brita. To these we may add the bat¬ 
tering-ships and gun-boats. Since two 
of the men-of-war had removed nearer 
the enemy’s camp, boats full of soldiers 
were frequently observed going on 
board them ; and as the guns were seen 
to be drawn back from the ports, and 
suddenly run out again, whilst the 
troops were on board, we suspected 
that they were practising to work the 
guns, previous to their embarking on 
board the battering-ships. 

Affairs seemed now drawing to a 
crisis: and, as every appearance indi¬ 
cated that the attack would not long 
be deferred, the inhabitants, apprehen¬ 
sive of the consequences, were wonder¬ 
fully active in securing places of re¬ 
treat for themselves and their property. 
The besiegers wrought hard the night 
of the 31st: two cross-communications 
lined with fascines were thrown up 
from the long boyau, leading to the 
parallel; one to the western flank of the 
64-gun battery, the other -to the west¬ 
ward of the Mahon battery. Five tra¬ 
verses were also erected within each of 
the new mortar batteries, and magazines 
for ammunition were begun near them, 
joining the parallel. We imagined 
they were likewise employed in bring¬ 
ing down ordnance to the advanced 
works. Our artillery amused them 
with a brisk fire; but the governor 
rather objected to such a quantity of 
powder being at this time expended, as 
he was of opinion they were now too 
well covered in their batteries to be 
much annoyed; and we might after¬ 
wards have more occasion for the am¬ 
munition. 

The evening of the 1st of September, 


a small boat manned with English 
sailors sailed for Portugal. Lieut 
Campbell, of the navy, sailed in her 
with dispatches from the governor for 
England. At night, the enemy erected 
an epaulment of sand-bags, apparently 
for two guns, adjoining the west flank 
of the Mahon battery; and raised 
the new communications several fas¬ 
cines in height. Some additions were 
likewise made to the magazines. Long 
strings of mules still continued bring¬ 
ing down fascines and other materials, 
which were deposited in different parts 
of their works. We imagined these 
animals also brought down shot and 
shells, as their piles in the artillery 
park were considerably diminished. In 
the garrison, our engineers were inde¬ 
fatigable in raising defences against 
the enemy’s formidable new batteries; 
and coals were distributed to the grates 
and furnaces for heating shot. 

We perceived very little alteration 
in the operations of our opponents on 
the 3rd: they lined the embrasures of 
the new 2-gun battery, and added to 
the cross - communications. In the 
course of the day, their squadron was 
reinforced with two French men-of- 
war from the eastward, which were 
conducted into the bay by a Spanish 
frigate. The 4th, the enemy removed 
the guns from the two 14-gun batteries 
in the lines, and dismounted most of 
the ordnance in the mortar batteries, 
probably to repair the beds and plat¬ 
forms. The removing of the cannon 
from the former gave us no small plea¬ 
sure, as we had experienced more fatal 
effects, during their late wanton bom¬ 
bardment and cannonade, from those 
batteries, than from any other in their 
lines. The guns, we supposed, were 
brought forward to the parallel, for we 
observed 10 in the eastern extremity of 
the 64-gun battery. In the forenoon, 
16 boats, with mantlets or barricades 
in the bow, came from the river Pal- 
mones, and anchored off the landing- 
place beyond Point Mala: these, we 
concluded, were for the sea-attack. 
About sunset, those battering-ships 
which were finished, removed from 
Algeziras to the Orange-grove: they 
appeared to sail rather heavily, and 




128 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VII. 


used sweeps, notwithstanding the 
breeze. About the same time, two 
grand salutes were fired by the French 
men-of-war. 

During the night of the 4th, the 
enemy’s parties masked the six west¬ 
ern embrasures of the St. Martin’s 
battery, and raised the parapet with 
fascines, intending, as we imagined, to 
convert it into a mortar battery, as six 
mortars were seen, the preceding day, 
lying in the rear. The howitzers were 
also removed from the Centre redoubt, 
and some additions made to the epaul- 
ment, in front of the St. Paschal’s bat¬ 
tery, which was now completed for 
eight mortars. They likewise sunk 
four deep excavations behind the east¬ 
ern boyau, as reservoirs for water, in 
case of fire. At night, another batter¬ 
ing-ship joined the others at the 
Orange-grove: soon afterwards, the 
enemy shipped powder on board them 
from the pier. Early on the 5th, a 
large body of men marched in a very 
irregular manner from Algeziras to the 
camp. We imagined they were the 
artificers who had been employed upon 
the ships, and were encamped south of 
the tower, half of which camp was 
now struck. During the day, 29 
square-sailed boats arrived, under con¬ 
voy of an armed brig, from the west, 
and, with upwards of 120 from Al- 
eziras, assembled in a line off Roca- 
illo Point, at the mouth of the Gua- 
daranque. A large floating battery 
was also towed out and anchored at 
the entrance of the Palmones. Toward 
evening, about 500 men, escorted by a 
lx>dy of cavalry, embarked from the 
pier on board the battering-ships: the 
singular mode of conducting them to 
the beach could not fail to attract our 
notice, and to cause in us some degree 
of surprise. About eight in the even¬ 
ing, a deserter came in from the regi¬ 
ment of Naples: he reported that the 
8th was named for the grand attack, 
and that all hands were actively em¬ 
ployed in completing everything in the 
several departments. 

Few additions were perceived on the 
6th: some sand-bags were placed on 
the mortar battery of the St. Martin’s. 
In the forenoon, more boats joined the 


others at Rocadillo, from the west; the 
floating battery was likewise towed to 
the pier near Point Mala. The go¬ 
vernor, the same day, made some new 
arrangements in the garrison detail. 
An additional field-officer was ordered 
to mount in the lines, to be independent 
of the field-officer in town; and the 
field-officers of the day, in fixture, were 
directed to make such disposition of 
the guards, pickets, and ordnance in 
their several districts, on every occa¬ 
sion, as appeared to be most for the 
benefit of the service. A subaltern 
was added to the New mole guard, who 
was at night to be detached with 20 
men to the Mole head; and the pickets 
in future were ordered to mount fully 
accoutred, with ammunition complete. 
The 39th regiment was also ordered to 
town, the battalion companies to en¬ 
camp in Southport ditch, and the gre¬ 
nadiers and light infantry to be quar¬ 
tered in the picket-yard bomb-proofs, 
before occupied by part of the 72nd 
regiment,who, on this disposition, joined 
the rest of their regiment in Montague’s 
and King’s bastions. 

The enemy’s works on the land side 
were now every hour advancing to 
perfection; but the duke’s attention to¬ 
ward completing them seemed so en¬ 
tirely to engage him, as, in a great 
measure, to prevent his taking the pro- 
dent precautions necessary for their 
defence. The advanced batteries in 
the parallel were either unfinished 
(though nearly completed) or under¬ 
going such alterations, that the mate¬ 
rials in their vicinity greatly obstructed 
the use of the ordnance which were 
mounted; and their batteries in the 
lines (except the forts) were in a simi¬ 
lar situation, the cannon, to permit the 
necessary repairs, being totally re¬ 
moved from some, and the mortars 
drawn back or dismounted in others. 
The forts and some few mortar bat¬ 
teries were therefore the only defences 
left to protect these immense works 
from insult and attack. This state of 
their works presented an opportunity- 
in some respects not unlike that which 
General Eliott had embraced in the 
preceding year, when, by an unex¬ 
pected sally, he gloriously destroyed 




1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


129 


the labours of so many months. The 
honour, however, of causing a second 
disgrace was reserved for Lieutenant- 
General Boyd, the lieutenant-governor, 
who, in the forenoon of the 6th, recom¬ 
mended, by letter to the governor, the 
immediate use of red-hot shot against 
the land-batteries of the besiegers. 
General Eliott acquiesced in the pro¬ 
posal, and immediately ordered Major 
Lewis, the commandant of the artil¬ 
lery, to wait on Lieutenant-General 
Boyd for his instructions and com¬ 
mands, submitting entirely to him the 
execution of the attack which he had 
projected. In consequence of the go¬ 
vernor’s assent, preparations were in¬ 
stantly made; and, in a short time, 
everything was properly arranged for 
the service. In the interval we must 
not, however, omit to take notice of the 
enemy’s operations. 

Early in the morning of the 7th, se¬ 
veral gun-boats were discovered off the 
Old mole head retiring from the gar¬ 
rison, which we imagined had been 
sounding under cover of the night. 
The garrison orders of this day con¬ 
tained the following arrangements:— 
“ The marine brigade (which composed 
a corps of about 900 men) to take rank 
on shore according to the king’s regu¬ 
lations; Captain Curtis, as colonel, 
with the rank of brigadier; Captain 
Gibson, as lieutenant-colonel; Captain 
Bradshaw, as major; eight lieutenants, 
as captains; eighteen midshipmen, as 
ensigns; and the brigade to mount 
Europa Advance and Little Bay guards. 
A picket of the line to be detached 
every evening to the Prince’s lines, and 
an additional subaltern at the same 
time to Landport. One captain and 
eight privates to be added to Water- 
port guard, whence a detachment of a 
subaltern and thirty men was to be sent, 
at sunset, to the Old mole head, which, 
at second gun-fire, was to be joined by 
one of the captains. Twelve privates 
to the main guard. One serjeant, nine 
privates, and a gunner, to Ragged Staff; 
detaching a serjeant and six men, with 
the gunner, at retreat-beating, to the 
Wharf head.” The alarm-posts were 


also fixed as follows :—“ The 39th flank 
companies to take post on the North 
bastion town; three battalion compa¬ 
nies of the same regiment, the South 
bastion; the remaining five at Ragged 
Staff, extending toward the eight-gun 
bastion. The 72nd regiment—right, 
the North bastion town ; left, Orange’s 
bastion, extending as far further from 
the King’s bastion as possible. The 
73rd regiment (which was quartered 
at the southward) to take post on the 
left of the 72nd, toward the South bas¬ 
tion. Captain Martin’s company of 
artillery, the Grand battery and Water- 
port. Captain Lloyd’s company, the 
King’s and South bastions. Brigadier- 
General Picton to command the corps 
in town. The Hanoverian brigade, 
from the eight-gun bastion south to 
Prince Edward’s battery inclusive, un¬ 
der the command of Lieutenant-Colonel 
Dachenhausen. The 56th regiment, 
South parade. The 12th regiment. 
New mole parade. The 97th regi¬ 
ment, Rosia parade. The 58th regi¬ 
ment, in front of their encampment, 
detaching a flank company through the 
hole in the wall upon Windmill-hill, 
to reinforce Europa Advance guard.” 
(This regiment was to receive orders 
from Brigadier Curtis.) “ The engi¬ 
neers and artificers in two divisions, one 
to assemble at the Esplanade town, the 
other at the Esplanade south.” It was 
recommended at the same time to the 
commanding officers to have a suffi¬ 
cient reserve in case of deficiencies, 
and to pay particular attention to the 
flanks and redans which commanded 
the front of (he line-wall. 

As the above exhibits the governor’s 
disposition of the troops, it will not be 
improper to insert in this place a de¬ 
tail of the guards which mounted in 
the garrison at this period, with the 
strength of the garrison, and men daily 
on duty. The strength of the garri¬ 
son, with the marine brigade (includ¬ 
ing the officers), in September, was 
about 7500 men; upwards of 400 of 
whom were in the hospital. The num¬ 
ber daily upon duty is shown in the fol¬ 
lowing abstract. 

K 




130 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VII. 


Guards . . . • • • 

Pickets (including the additions of the 12th) 
Working parties, under the chief engineer^ 
and the quartermaster-general . • ) 


1091 

613 

1726 


men, including officers, 
ditto. 

exclusive of the engineers 
and overseers. 


Total 3430 


beside many who were constantly and indispensably employed as orderlies and 
assistants in the hospital, and in other departments in the ganison. 




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Detachments to 

Town District 

• 

l 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 


Governor’s, or Convent gd. 

0 

0 

0 

1 

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6 

0 

0 N.B. Grenadiers. 

Lieut.-Governor’s . 

# 

0 

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0 N.B. Lt. Infantry. 

Willis’s, &c. . 


0 

1 

2 

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58 


Flag-staff . 

Landport . . 

• 

0 

0 

0 

1 

1 

4 

0 

5 

0 

12 

1 

2 

0 

86 

2 

1 

15 

4 

the Spur & Fleche. 

Grand battery 

• 

0 

0 

1 

1 

4 

1 

26 

0 

0 

( the Lunette & 

Waterport . 

• 

0 

2 

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4 

6 

2 

88 

0 

2 • • • 

( Mole head. 

Main 

# 

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Southport . . 

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29 

0 


Castle . . 


0 

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0 

12 

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North line-wall 

# 

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15 

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South line-wall 

. 

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Artillery-magazine 

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0 

0 

1 

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6 

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Middle-hill . 


0 

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0 

0 

12 

2 

0 

Cha. Vth’s wall. 

Signal-house . . 


0 

0 

0 

1 

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Victualling-office 

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0 

0 

1 

1 

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9 

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Patroles . 

# 

0 

0 

0 

9 

0 

0 

18 

0 

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Orderlies 

• 

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0 

0 

13 

0 

1 

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Lines . 

• 

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0 

0 

0 

0 

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( Upper Forbes's, 

Prince’s . 

• 

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3 

6 

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1 

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King’s ... 

• 

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4 

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50 

0 

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Queen’s 

• 

0 

1 

1 

1 

2 

1 

30 

0 

1 


South District 

• 

1 

0 

0 

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0 

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0 

0 

0 


Europa . . . 

Europa Advance 

• 

0 

0 

1 

0 

1 

1 

1 

1 

3 

1 

2 

1 

32 

20 

1 

1 

g 

4 l N. B. Marine 

1 ) Brigade. 

1 

2 

3 


Little Bay . . 

Ragged Staff . . 
Rosia ... 
New mole . 

. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

1 

1 

1 

2 

1 

2 

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3 

1 

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2 

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2 

18 

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30 

59 

0 

0 

0 

0 

the Wharf. 
Victualling tent. 
New mole head. 

Buena Vista . 


0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

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6 

2 

0 


Camp . . • 

. 

0 

0 

0 

1 

1 

0 

9 

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Hospital . . 

• 

0 

0 

0 

1 

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0 

12 

0 

0 


Magazine 

. 

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1 

1 

0 

15 

0 

0 

The Provost ship. 

South Shed 

# 

0 

0 

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1 

2 

0 

21 

0 

0 

Princess of Wales’s lines 


0 

0 

0 

1 

1 

0 

6 

0 

0 


Windmill-hill 

# 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

9 

0 

0 N.B. Corsicans. 


General De la Motte’s 


0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

3 

0 

0 


Orderlies 

• 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 


Total . 

# 

3 

9 

22 

64 

73 

23 

773 

18 

106 



In the evening of the 7th, a little 
before midnight, two large lights ap¬ 
peared on the shore west of the Orange- 
grove, forming a right line with our 
Grand battery; and at the same time, 
two similar fires were seen behind Fort 
St. Philip; whence, if a line was pro¬ 
duced, it would to appearance have 


intersected the former, about 800 or 
900 yards to the north-west of the Old 
mole head. These unusual signals 
made many conjecture that the enemy 
were sounding in that quarter. A 
few rounds were accordingly fired at 
intervals in that direction from the 
North bastion. 








1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


131 


By the morning of the 8th, the pre¬ 
parations, in the department of the 
artillery, under General Boyd’s direc¬ 
tions, were completed ; and, the success 
of the attack in a great measure de¬ 
pending upon embracing the favour¬ 
able moment, it was no longer de¬ 
ferred. At seven o’clock, the town- 
guards being relieved, the firing com¬ 
menced from all the northern batteries 
which bore upon the western part of 
the parallel, and was supported through 
the day with admirable precision and 
vivacity. The effect of the red-hot 
shot and carcasses exceeded our most 
sanguine expectations. In a few hours, 
the Mahon battery of 6 guns, with the 
battery of 2 guns on its flank, and 
great part of the adjoining parallel, 
were on fire; and the flames, notwith¬ 
standing the enemy’s exertions to ex¬ 
tinguish them, burnt so rapidly, that 
the whole of those works before night 
were consumed. The St. Carlos’s and 
St. Martin’s batteries however on this 
occasion escaped the fate which they 
had formerly experienced. They were 
nevertheless so much deranged by the 
breaches made to obstruct the effects 
of the carcasses, &c. that the enemy 
were under the necessity of taking 
down the greater part. 

The enemy, for near an hour, con¬ 
tinued silent spectators of our can¬ 
nonade. About eight, they fired a few 
guns from the St. Martin’s battery; 
and between nine and ten, returned 
our fire from Forts St. Philip and Bar¬ 
bara, with the 7-gun battery in the 
lines, and soon after from 8 new mortar 
batteries in the parallel. This tardi¬ 
ness in returning our fire, in some 
degree we attributed to the works being 
confused with materials, and some of 
the batteries being deficient in ammu¬ 
nition. It might however be owing to 
want of discretionary orders, as an 
officer of rank was observed to enter 
the lines about the time when their 
cannonade became general: a rein¬ 
forcement also marched down from the 
camp. 

The astonishing bravery displayed 
by the enemy in their repeated at¬ 
tempts to extinguish the flames, could 
not fail to attract our particular notice 


and admiration. Urged on most pro¬ 
bably by emulation, they performed 
prodigies of valour; so that their loss, 
under so well directed a fire, must have 
been very considerable. The French 
brigade, we afterwards understood, had 
140 killed and wounded. If the Spa¬ 
nish casualties bore an equal propor¬ 
tion, their united loss must have greatly 
exceeded our calculation. 

About four o’clock in the afternoon 
the cannonade abated on both sides, 
and the enemy soon after were totally 
silent, though we continued our usual 
fire. The garrison had two or three 
killed, and several wounded. Lieut. 
Boag, of the artillery, and Ensign Gor¬ 
don, of the 58th regiment, were of the 
latter number. The former officer had 
been wounded before: on this occasion 
he was pointing a gun from Hanover 
battery in the lines, when a shell fell 
in the battery. He had scarcely time 
to throw himself down in an embrasure, 
when the shell burst, and fired the 
gun under the muzzle of which he lay. 
The report immediately deprived him 
of hearing, and it was some time be¬ 
fore he recovered a tolerable use of 
that faculty. Major Martin, of the 
same corps, had likewise a very for¬ 
tunate escape from a 26-pounder, which 
shot away the cock of his hat close to 
the crown. I insert this anecdote, 
because it is commonly believed, that 
if a cannon-ball of large diameter 
passes so near the head of a person, the 
wind of it is generally fatal. The 
major was considerably stunned by the 
passage of the shot, but experienced 
little further injury. In the forenoon 
of the 8th, two more ships of the line 
removed to the Orange-grove, followed 
some time afterwards by 22 gun and 
mortar boats; and in the evening, one 
of the French men-of-war joined them 
from Algeziras. In the course of the 
day, a number of troops were em¬ 
barked on board such of the battering- 
ships as were finished; and at night, 
our artillery replaced the ammunition 
in the expense magazines, which had 
been used to such good purpose in the 
morning. 

This unexpected insult undoubtedly 
precipitated the duke’s measures; and 
k 2 





132 


HISTORY OF THE 


by provoking him to the attack, before 
the preparations in the other depart¬ 
ments were ready to combine with him 
in a general and powerful effort against 
the garrison, served greatly to frus¬ 
trate the enterprise. Apprehensive, 
probably, that, elated by our good for¬ 
tune, we might renew our attempts 
finally to destroy the land works which 
had escaped, the duke determined to 
avoid the blow (which also might be 
in other respects fatal in its conse¬ 
quences) by opening his batteries, even 
in their unfinished state. Actuated, 
most probably, by these motives, the 
embrasures of the new batteries were 
unmasked during the night of the 8th; 
and the succeeding morning, at day¬ 
break, we were surprised to find every 
appearance in their works for firing 
upon the garrison. Two rockets from 
the forts in the lines were the signals 
to begin; and the cannonade com¬ 
menced at half-past five o’clock, with a 
volley of about GO shells from all their 
mortar batteries in the parallel, suc¬ 
ceeded by a general discharge of their 
cannon, amounting, in the whole, to 
about 170 pieces of ordnance, all of 
large calibre:—a discharge, I believe, 
not to be paralleled!* Their firing 
was powerful, and entirely directed 
against our works; but was not, after 
the first round, altogether so tremen¬ 
dous and destructive as we had reason 
to expect from such a train of artillery. 
At intervals, from 10 to 20 shells were 
in the air at the same moment; but 
their effects were not equal to the num¬ 
bers expended. The town, southward 
of the King’s bastion, was little af¬ 
fected ; but the northern front, and 
line-wall leading from the Grand pa¬ 
rade to the North bastion, were exceed¬ 
ingly warm; and the lines and Land- 
port were greatly annoyed by the 
shells from the howitzers, which were 
distributed in various parts of their 
parallel. Montague’s and Orange’s 
bastions seemed to be the centre of the 
enemy’s cross-fire; whilst the line- 
wall in their vicinity and to the south¬ 
ward was taken a revers by the shot 

* A French account of the siege gives 186 
as the number of the enemy’s ordnance on 
the land side at this time. 


[chap. ni. 

which passed over the lines from the 
64-gun battery. 

Not imagining, from the rough ap¬ 
pearance of the enemy’s works, that 
they could possibly retaliate so soon, 
the guards and pickets at the north end 
of the garrison were for some time ex¬ 
posed, and some casualties occurred: 
but we soon discovered whence we 
were chiefly annoyed, and consequently 
became more cautious. Lieut. Whar¬ 
ton, of the 73rd regiment, was dan¬ 
gerously wounded at Landport. 

Whilst the land batteries were thus 
pouring forth their vengeance upon 
the northern front, nine line-of-battle 
ships, including those under the French 
flag, got under way from the Orange- 
grove, and passing along the sea-line, 
discharged several broadsides at the 
garrison, and particularly at a settee 
which had just arrived under our guns 
from Algiers. When this squadron 
had got round Europa Point, they sud¬ 
denly wore, and returning along the 
Europa, Rosia, and New mole batte¬ 
ries, commenced a regular and heavy 
fire upon the garrison. The marine 
brigade and artillery returned the 
salute till they passed, when the men- 
of-war wore and returned to the east¬ 
ward. About the same time that the 
enemy were thus amusing us at the 
southward, 15 gun and mortar boats 
approached the town, and continued 
their fire for some time ; but, the artil¬ 
lery giving them a warm reception 
from the King’s bastion, two of them 
were towed off with precipitation, and 
the rest retired in great disorder. One 
was thought to be very considerably da¬ 
maged; and some imagined that her 
gun was thrown overboard to save her 
from sinking. 

This mode of annoying us on all 
sides exactly corresponded with the ac¬ 
counts which we had received of the 
plan of attack suggested by Monsieur 
d’Ai’ 9 on, the French engineer, who su¬ 
perintended the enemy’s preparations. 
They hoped probably to confound and 
overwhelm us, by presenting to us de¬ 
struction under such various forms, and 
by the enormous quantity of fire which 
they poured in upon the garrison. The 
governor however did not approve of 







1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


133 


his troops being thus subjected to be 
harassed at their pleasure, and resolved 
therefore, if possible, to put a stop 
to their sea-attacks. For this purpose 
the furnaces and grates for heating 
shot, at the New mole, were ordered to 
be lighted: and some new arrange¬ 
ments took place in the ordnance upon 
Windmill-hill. Toward dusk the ene¬ 
my abated in the fire from their can¬ 
non ; increasing however in the expen¬ 
diture of shells, which, being generally 
fired with short fuses, broke in the air. 
This practice seemed well calculated 
for the purposes in view. In the day, 
they could observe with greater cer¬ 
tainty the effect of their shot, and alter 
as circumstances directed: the firing at 
night must unavoidably be less de¬ 
pended upon: shells were therefore 
burst over the heads of our workmen, 
to prevent them, if possible, from re¬ 
pairing at night the damage received in 
the day. It did not nevertheless ob¬ 
struct the duties in the department of 
the engineers ; and the artillery were 
not hindered from further completing 
the expense magazines with ammuni¬ 
tion. The 97th regiment was now so 
far recovered, as for some time to assist 
in the fatigue duties of the garrison: 
and this day the officers, with 100 men, 
were added to the general roster. The 
town guards were also ordered to as¬ 
semble in Southport ditch. 

The enemy’s men-of-war (as we ex¬ 
pected) repeated their attack very early 
on the morning of the 10th. Each ship 
carried, a light at her mizen-peak; but 
they did not approach near enough to 
produce much effect We received 
them with a well-supported fire; and 
the next morning observed one of them 
at anchor, with her bowsprit unshipped, 
at Algeziras. The remaining 8 re¬ 
newed their cannonade about 9 in the 
forenoon, and killed 2 of the marine 
brigade, and wounded a serjeant of ar¬ 
tillery and 2 others. After they had 
passed as before, they wore ship, appa¬ 
rently with an intention of continuing 
their visits, but suddenly put about, 
hauled their wind, and anchored off’ the 
Orange-grove. We were afterwards 
informed, that the discovery of a red- 
hot shot on board one of the ships was 


the immediate cause of this hasty man¬ 
oeuvre. 

The enemy continued their firing 
from the isthmus, recommencing at 
morning gun-fire on the 10th from 
their gun batteries. At 7 o’clock, includ¬ 
ing the expenditure on the 8th, they had 
discharged 5527 shot and 2302 shells, 
exclusive of the number fired by the 
men-of-war and mortar boats. The 
garrison, on the contrary, took no fur¬ 
ther notice of them, than to return a 
few rounds from the terrace batteries 
at their working parties, who were re¬ 
pairing the damage done on the 8th, 
and completing the rest of their works. 
In the course of the day, the Brilliant 
and Porcupine frigates were scuttled by 
the navy in- the New mole; and at 
night the engineers, with a working 
party, cleared the lines of rubbish, and 
restored those traverses which had 
been demolished. At night, the ene¬ 
my’s fire was under the same regula¬ 
tion as the preceding evening. 

The next morning, when our guards 
were relieving, a signal was made at 
the tower, near the quarry, under the 
Queen of Spain’s Chair; and the ene¬ 
my’s cannonade became excessively 
brisk: fortunately few casualties oc¬ 
curred. Their firing, when this object 
ceased to engage them, seemed to be 
principally directed against the obstruc¬ 
tions at Landport, and in that part of 
the garrison. Many of the palisades in 
the covered way were destroyed, and 
the chevaux-de-frise considerably in¬ 
jured: artificers were however con¬ 
stantly detached to repair those breaches, 
so that the whole were kept in a better 
state than might be expected. In the 
afternoon, we began to conclude, that 
the attack with the battering-ships was 
no longer to be deferred. Several de¬ 
tachments of soldiers embarked from 
the camp, and others were standing on 
the neighbouring eminences; which, 
with the appearance in the evening of 
signals like those which had been ob¬ 
served on the night of the 7th, led us 
to imagine that every preparation was 
complete; and the wind at that time 
blowing gently in the bay, from the 
north-west, favoured our conjecture. 
Landport and Waterport guards were 




134 


HISTORY OF THE 


[ciiap. vii. 


immediately reinforced, the furnaces 
and grates for heating shot were lighted, 
and the artillery ordered to man the 
batteries. 

Thus prepared, we waited their ap¬ 
pearance ; for it seemed to be the ge¬ 
neral opinion, that the battering-ships 
would advance, and be moored in the 
night, that they might be less exposed 
to annoyance in this duty, and open 
with greater effect together at day¬ 
break. Our attention was however 
called off from the bay to the land-side, 
where the enemy had set fire to the 
barriers of Bay-side and Forbes’s; and 
the whole of those palisades, to the 
water’s edge, were instantly involved in 
flames. The northern guards and 
pickets were immediately under arms, 
and a smart discharge of musketry was 
directed upon several parties, which, 
by the light of the fire, were discovered 
in the meadows. The enemy increas¬ 
ing their bombardment, and nothing 
new happening in consequence of the 
conflagration, the pickets and guards 
were remanded under cover; but the 
artillery continued upon the batteries. 
We had scarcely recovered from this 
alarm, before the gun and mortar boats, 
with the bomb-ketches, began to bom¬ 
bard the northern front, taking their 
stations off the King’s bastion, extending 
towards Fort St. Philip. They com¬ 
menced about an hour after midnight; 
and their fire, added to that of the land 
batteries, exceedingly annoyed Water- 
port and its vicinity. The out-pickets 
were again under arms, but providen¬ 
tially our loss was trifling. We re¬ 
turned a few rounds from the sea-line, 
but still disregarded the batteries on 
the isthmus; excepting when their 
workmen appeared, or were thought to 
be employed. Major Lewis, comman¬ 
dant of the artillery, was unfortunately 
amongst the wounded. The confine¬ 
ment of this active officer at this cri¬ 
tical juncture might have been highly 
prejudicial to the service, had not his 
seconds been of confirmed ability and 
experience: owing to their united ex¬ 
ertions, the several duties in that com¬ 
plicated and important department con¬ 
tinued to be conducted with efficiency 
and success. 


When the gun-boats retired, nothing 
new occurred till the morning of the 
12th: the enemy’s firing continued to 
be supported at the average of 4000 
rounds in the 24 hours. About 8 
o’clock, reports were received from 
Europa guard, that a large fleet had 
appeared in the Straits from the west¬ 
ward. The wind was brisk, and we 
had scarcely time to form any conjec¬ 
tures concerning them, ere they ap¬ 
proached the bay; and proved to be the 
combined fleets of France and Spain, 
consisting of 7 3-deckers, and 31 ships 
of 2 decks; with 3 frigates and a num¬ 
ber of xebeques, bomb-ketches, and 
hospital-ships; the whole under the 
command of ten admirals, and a broad 
pendant. In the afternoon, they were 
all at anchor in the bay between the 
Orange-grove and Algeziras. 

This great accumulation of force 
could not fail to surprise, if not alarm 
the garrison. It appeared as if the 
enemy meant, previous to their final 
efforts, to strike, if possible, a terror 
through their opponents, by displaying 
before us a more powerful armament 
than had probably ever been brought 
against any fortress. 47 sail of the 
line, including 3 inferior two-deckers, 
10 battering-ships, deemed perfect in 
design, and esteemed invincible, carry¬ 
ing 212 guns; innumerable frigates, 
xebeques, bomb-ketches, cutters, gun 
and mortar boats, and smaller craft for 
disembarking men; these were assem¬ 
bled in the bay. On the land side 
were most stupendous and strong bat¬ 
teries and works, mounting 200 pieces 
of heavy ordnance, and protected by an 
army of near 40,000 men, commanded 
by a victorious and active general, of 
the highest reputation, and animated 
with the immediate presence of two 
princes of the royal blood of France, 
with other dignified personages, and 
many of their own nobility. Such a 
naval and military spectacle most cer¬ 
tainly is not to be equalled in the an¬ 
nals of war. From such a combination 
of power, and favourable concurrent 
circumstances, it was natural enough 
that the Spanish nation should antici¬ 
pate the most glorious consequences. 
| Indeed their confidence in the effect to 






1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR 


135 


be produced by the battering-ships 
passed all bounds; and, in the enthu¬ 
siasm excited by the magnitude of their 
preparations, it was thought highly 
criminal, as we afterwards learned, 
even to whisper a doubt of the success. 

In drawing these flattering conclu¬ 
sions, the enemy, however, seemed en¬ 
tirely to have overlooked the nature of 
that force which was opposed to them; 
for, though the garrison scarcely con¬ 
sisted of more than 7,000 effective men, 
including the marine brigade, they 
forgot that they were now veterans in 
this service, had been a long time ha¬ 
bituated to the effects of artillery, and 
were prepared by degrees for the 
arduous conflict that awaited them. 
We were, at the same time, commanded 
by officers of approved courage, pru¬ 
dence, and ability; eminent for all the 
accomplishments of their profession, 
and in whom we had unbounded con¬ 
fidence. Our spirits too were not a 
little elevated by the success attending 
the recent practice of firing red-hot 
shot, which in this attack we hoped 
would enable us to bring our labours 
to a period, and relieve us from the 
tedious cruelty of another vexatious 
blockade. 

Before the garrison had well dis¬ 
covered the force of their new visitors, 
an occurrence happened, which, though 
trifling in itself, I trust I shall be ex¬ 
cused for noticing. When the van of 
the combined fleet had entered the bay, 


and the soldiers in town were atten¬ 
tively viewing the ships, alleging, 
amongst other reasons for their arrival, 
that the British fleet must undoubtedly 
be in pursuit; on a sudden, a general 
huzza was given, and all, to a man, 
cried out, the British admiral was cer¬ 
tainly in their rear, as a flag for a fleet 
was hoisted upon our Signal-house pole. 
For some moments the flattering idea 
was indulged; but our hopes were soon 
damped by the sudden disappearance of 
the signal. We were afterwards in¬ 
formed by the guard at that post, that 
what our creative fancies had imagined 
to be a flag, was an eagle , which, after 
several evolutions, had perched a few 
minutes on the westernmost pole, and 
then flew away toward the east. 
Though less superstitious than the 
ancient Romans, many could not help 
fancying it a favourable omen to the 
garrison; and the event of the suc¬ 
ceeding day justified the prognostica¬ 
tion. 

In the morning of the 12th, the go¬ 
vernor reinforced the pickets of the 
line; nine of which, in future, were 
stationed in town, and distributed as 
follows; two at Waterport, two at 
Landport, two in the lines, and the 
remaining three in the picket-yard, 
with the field-officer of the town dis¬ 
trict. The other picket of the line was 
stationed at the southward. The fol¬ 
lowing return specifies the strength of 
the pickets at this period. 


sub. s. d. r. iff. 

The artillery, and Hanoverian brigade, each corps. 1 1 1 39 

The 12th, 39th, 56th, and 58th regiments ditto . 1 1 1 54 

The 72nd and 73rd regiments . . ditto . 1 1 1 76 

The 97th regiment . . , ditto . 1 1 1 56 


Total four captains, one of the artillery and three of the line 11 11 11 580 


In the evening about dusk, a num¬ 
ber of men were observed to embark 
from the Orange-grove, on board the 
battering-ships; which, with the pre¬ 
sence of the combined fleet, and the 
wind blowing favourably, induced us 
to conclude that the important and long 
meditated attack was not long to be 
deferred. 

The enemy’s cannonade was con¬ 
tinued, almost on the same scale as the 


preceding days, during the night of the 
12th. The next morning we observed 
the combined fleet had made some new 
arrangements in their position, or moor¬ 
ings, and that the remaining two bat¬ 
tering-ships had joined the others at the 
Orange-grove, where their whole at¬ 
tacking force seemed to be now assem¬ 
bled. About a quarter before seven 
o’clock, some motions were observed 
amongst their shipping; and soon after 











136 


HISTORY 


the battering-ships got under way, with 
a gentle breeze from the north-west, 
standing to the southward, to clear the 
men-of-war, and were attended by a 
number of boats. As our navy were 
constantly of opinion that the batter¬ 
ing-ships would be brought before the 
garrison in the night, few suspected that 
the present manoeuvres were prepara¬ 
tory to their finally entering on the 
interesting enterprise; but, observing 
a crowd of spectators on the beach, 
near Point Mala, and upon the neigh¬ 
bouring eminences, and the ships edg¬ 
ing down towards the garrison, the 
governor thought it would be impru¬ 
dent any longer to doubt it. The 
town batteries were accordingly man¬ 
ned, and the grates and furnaces for 
heating shot ordered to be lighted. 

Thus prepared for their reception, 
we had leisure to notice the enemy’s 
evolutions. The ten battering-ships, 
after leaving the men-of-war, wore 
to the north; and, a little past nine 
o’clock, bore down in admirable order 
for their several stations; the admiral, 
in a two-decker, mooring about 900 
yards off the King’s bastion, the others 
successively taking their places to the 
right and left of the flag-ship, in a mas¬ 
terly manner; the most distant being 
about 1100 or 1200 yards from the 
garrison. Our artillery allowed the 
enemy every reasonable advantage, in 
permitting them without molestation to 
choose their distance; but as soon as 
the first ship dropped her anchors, 
which was about a quarter before ten 
o’clock, that instant our firing com¬ 
menced. The enemy were completely 
moored in a little more than ten 
minutes, and their cannonade then be¬ 
came in a high degree tremendous. 
The showers of shot and shells which 
were now directed from their land-bat¬ 
teries, the battering-ships, and, on the 
other hand, from the various works of 
the garrison, exhibited a scene, of which 
perhaps neither the pen nor the pencil 
can furnish a competent idea. It is 
sufficient to say that upward of four 
hundred pieces of the heaviest artillery 
were playing at the same moment: 
an instance which has scarcely oc¬ 
curred in any siege since the invention 


OF THE [chap. vii. 

of those wonderful engines of de¬ 
struction.* 

After some hours’ cannonade, the 
battering-ships were found to be no less 
formidable than they had been repre¬ 
sented. Our heaviest shells often re¬ 
bounded from their tops, whilst the 
32-pound shot seemed incapable of 
making any visible impression upon 
their hulls. Frequently we flattered 
ourselves they were on fire; but no 
sooner did any smoke appear than, with 
the most persevering intrepidity, men 
were observed applying water, from 
their engines within, to those places 
whence the smoke issued. These cir¬ 
cumstances, with the prodigious can¬ 
nonade which they maintained, gave us 
reason to imagine that the attack would 
not be so soon decided as, from our re¬ 
cent success against their land-batteries, 
we had fondly expected. Even the 
artillery themselves, at this period, had 
their doubts of the effect of the red-hot 
shot, which began to be used about 
twelve, but were not general till be¬ 
tween one and two o’clock.f The 
enemy’s cannon at the commencement 
were too much elevated, but about 
noon their firing was powerful and 
well directed. Our casualties then be¬ 
came numerous, particularly on those 
batteries north of the King’s bastion, 
which were warmly annoyed by the 
enemy’s flanking and reverse fire from 
the land. Though so vexatiously an¬ 
noyed from the isthmus, our artillery 
totally disregarded their opponents in 
that quarter, directing their sole atten¬ 
tion to the battering-ships, the furious 
and spirited opposition of which served 
to excite our people to more animated 


* T-__,_( Land batteries 186 

Enemj » ordnance j Floating 142 

328 

Garrison ordnance in action. 96 

424 

+ As the ordnance portable furnaces for 
heating shot were not sufficient in number to 
supply the demands of the artillery when the 
attack was at its height, large fires were kin¬ 
dled of wood in the corners of the nearest 
buildings, and shot, being thrown into these 
piles, were soon heated red-hot. These sup¬ 
plies were jocularly termed by the men, 
“ roasted potatoes.” 






1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


137 


exertions. A fire more tremendous, if 
possible, than ever was therefore di¬ 
rected from the garrison. Incessant 
showers of hot balls, carcasses, and 
shells of every species flew from all 
quarters; and, as the masts of several 
of the ships were shot away and the 
rigging of all was in great confusion, 
our hopes of a favourable and speedy 
decision began to revive. 

About noon their mortar boats and 
bomb-ketcheg attempted to second the 
attack from the battering-ships; but, 
the wind having changed to the south¬ 
west and blowing a smart breeze, with 
a heavy swell, they were prevented 
taking a part in the action. The same 
reason also hindered our gun-boats 
from flanking the battering-ships from 
the southward. 

For some hours the attack and de¬ 
fence were so equally well supported 
as scarcely to admit any appearance of 
superiority in the cannonade on either 
side. The wonderful construction of 
the ships seemed to bid defiance to the 
powers of the heaviest ordnance. In 
the afternoon, however, the face of 
things began to change considerably: 
the smoke which had been observed to 
issue from the upper part of the flag¬ 
ship appeared to prevail, notwithstand¬ 
ing the constant application of water, 
and the admiral’s second was perceived 
to be in the same condition. Confusion 
was now apparent on board several 
of the vessels, and by the evening their 
cannonade was considerably abated; 
about seven or eight o’clock it almost 
totally ceased, excepting from one or 
two ships to the northward, which, 
from their distance, had suffered little 
injury. 

When their firing began to slacken, 
various signals were made from the 
southernmost ships; and as the evening 
advanced, many rockets were thrown 
up, to inform their friends (as we after¬ 
wards learned) of their extreme danger 
and distress. These signals were im¬ 
mediately answered, and several boats 
were seen to row round the disabled 
ships. Our artillery, at this period, 
must have caused dreadful havoc 
amongst them. An indistinct clamour, 
with lamentable cries and groans, pro¬ 


ceeded (during the short intervals of 
cessation) from all quarters; and, a 
little before midnight, a wreck floated 
in under the town line-wall, upon 
which were twelve men, who only, out 
of three-score which were on board 
their launch, had escaped. These cir¬ 
cumstances convinced us that we had 
gained an advantage over the enemy, 
yet we did not conceive that the victory 
was so complete as the succeeding 
morning evinced. Our firing was 
therefore continued, though with less 
vivacity; but as the artillery, from such 
a hard-fought day, exposed to the in¬ 
tense heat of a warm sun, in addition 
to the harassing duties of the preceding 
night, were much fatigued, and as it 
was impossible to foresee what new ob¬ 
jects might demand their service the 
following day, the governor, about six 
in the evening, when the enemy’s fire 
abated, permitted the majority of the 
officers and men to be relieved by a 
picket of a hundred men from the ma¬ 
rine brigade, under the command of 
Lieutenant Trentham; and officers and 
non-commissioned officers of the artil¬ 
lery were stationed on the different 
batteries, to direct the sailors in the 
mode of firing the hot shot. 

About an hour after midnight, the 
battering-ship which had suffered the 
greatest injury, and which had been 
frequently on fire the preceding day, 
was completely in flames; and by two 
o’clock in the morning of the 14th, she 
appeared as one continued blaze from 
stem to stern. The ship to the south¬ 
ward of her was also on fire, but did 
not burn with so much rapidity. The 
light thrown out on all sides by the 
flames enabled the artillery to point 
the guns with the utmost precision, 
whilst the rock and neighbouring ob¬ 
jects were highly illuminated, forming, 
with the constant flashes of our cannon, 
a mingled scene of sublimity and terror. 
Between three and four o’clock, six 
other of the battering-ships indicated 
the efficacy of red-hot shot; and the 
approaching day now promised us one 
of the completest defensive victories on 
record. 

Brigadier Curtis, who was encamped 
with his brigade at Europa, being in- 




138 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VII. 


formed that the enemy’s ships were in 
flames, and that the calmness of the sea 
would permit his gun-boats to act, 
marched,--about three o’clock a.m., with 
a detachment to the New mole; and, 
drawing up his twelve boats in such 
manner as to flank the battering-ships, 
compelled their boats to abandon them. 
As the day approached and the garri¬ 
son fire abated, the brigadier advanced 
and captured two launches filled with 
men. These boats attempted to escape, 
but a shot killing and wounding several 
men on board one of them, both surren¬ 
dered, and were conducted to Ragged 
Staff. The brigadier being informed 
by the prisoners that many men were 
through necessity left by their friends 
on board the ships, he generously de¬ 
termined to rescue them from the in¬ 
evitable death which seemed to impend. 
Some of these infatuated wretches ne¬ 
vertheless, it is said, refused at first the 
deliverance which was tendered to 
them, preferring the chance of that 
death which appeared inevitable to be¬ 
ing put to the sword, which they had 
been persuaded would be the conse¬ 
quence if they submitted to the garri¬ 
son. Being left, however, some mo¬ 
ments to the horrors of their fate, they 
beckoned the boats to return, and re¬ 
signed themselves to the clemency of 
their conquerors. 

Whilst the navy were thus humanely 
relieving their distressed enemy, the 
flames reached the magazine of one of 
the battering-ships to the northward, 
which blew up, about five o’clock, with 
a dreadful explosion. In a quarter of 
an hour following, another, in the 
centre of the line, met with a similar 
fate. The wreck from the latter spread 
to a vast extent, and involved our gun¬ 
boats in the most imminent danger: 
one was sunk, but the crew were saved. 
A hole was forced through the bottom 
of the brigadier’s boat, his coxswain 
killed, and the strokesman wounded, 
and for some time the crew were ob¬ 
scured in the cloud of smoke. After 
this very fortunate escape, it was deemed 
prudent to withdraw toward the garri¬ 
son, to avoid the peril arising from the 
blowing-up of the remaining ships. 
The brigadier, however, visited two 


other ships in his return, and landed 
9 officers, 2 priests, and 334 private 
soldiers and seamen, all Spaniards, 
which, with 1 officer and 11 French¬ 
men who had floated in the preceding 
evening, made the total number saved 
amount to 357. Many of the prisoners 
were severely and some of them dread¬ 
fully wounded. They were instantly, 
on being brought on shore, conveyed 
to our hospital, and every remedy ad¬ 
ministered necessary for their different 
cases.* 

During the time that the marine bri¬ 
gade were encountering every danger 
in their endeavours to save an enemy 
from perishing, the batteries on the 
isthmus (which ceased the preceding 
evening, most likely for want of am¬ 
munition, and which had opened again 
upon the garrison on the morning of 
the 14th) maintained a warm fire upon 
the town, which killed and wounded 
several men; and three or four shells 
burst in the air, over the place where 
their countrymen were landed. This 
ungenerous proceeding could not escape 
the observation of the spectators in their 
camp, and orders probably were sent to 
the lines for the batteries to cease, as 
they were silent about ten o’clock. 

Notwithstanding the efforts of the 
marine brigade in relieving the terri¬ 
fied victims from the burning ships, 
many unfortunate men could not be 
removed. The scene at this time ex¬ 
hibited was as affecting, as that which 
had been presented in the act of hosti¬ 
lity had been terrible and tremendous. 
Men crying from amidst the flames for 
pity and assistance; others, on board 
those ships where the fire had made 


* The following extract from a contempo¬ 
rary account by a French officer, who served 
in the besieging army, and was an eyewitness 
of this scene, shows a generous appreciation of 
the efforts made by the garrison to succour 
those with whom they had been so lately 
contending:—“ Je n’ai ni l’anglomanie qui 
exagere le merite de la nation Britannique, 
ni la liaine nationale qui dissimule; mais c’est 
pour moi une satisfaction bien douce de payer 
aux Anglais, liberateurs des malheureux laisses 
dans les prames, le tribut d’eloges que meri- 
taient dans ce moment leur courage et leur 
humanite. L’Espagne et la France doivent 
etre a jamais reconnoissantes de cette gene- 
rosite inouie.” 







1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR, 


139 


little progress, imploring relief with 
the most expressive gestures and signs 
of despair; whilst several, equally ex¬ 
posed to the dangers of the opposite 
element, trusted themselves, on various 
parts of the wreck, to the chance of 
paddling themselves to the shore. A 
felucca belonging to the enemy ap¬ 
proached from the Orange-grove, pro¬ 
bably with the intention of relieving 
these unfortunate persons; but, jealous 
of her motives, the garrison suspected 
that she came to set fire to one of the 
battering-ships which appeared little 
injured, and obliged her to retire. Of 
the 6 ships which w r ere still in flames, 
3 blew up before eleven o’clock; the 
other 3 burnt to the water’s edge, the 
magazines being wetted by the enemy 
before the principal officers quitted the 
ships. The admiral’s flag was on board 
one of the latter, and was consumed 
with the vessel. The remaining two 
battering-ships, we flattered ourselves, 
might be saved as glorious trophies of 
our success; but one of them unex¬ 
pectedly burst out into flames, and in a 
short time blew up, with a terrible re¬ 
port ; and Captain Gibson representing 
it as impracticable to preserve the 
other, it was burnt in the afternoon, 
under his directions. Thus the navy 
put a finishing hand to this signal de¬ 
fensive victory. 

During the hottest period of the 
enemy’s cannonade, the governor was 
present on the King’s bastion, whilst 
Lieut.-General Boyd * took his station 
upon the South bastion, animating the 
garrison by their presence, and en¬ 
couraging them to emulation. The 
exertions and activity of the brave ar¬ 
tillery, in this well-fought contest, de¬ 


* It will not be improper in this place to 
repeat, that General Boyd laid the foundation 
stone of the King’s bastion, as it will bean 
apology for introducing a remarkable speech 
of the General on that occasion. In 1773, 
General Boyd, attended by Colonel Green, 
the chief engineer, and many held-officers of 
the garrison, laid the first stone of that work, 
with the ceremony usual on such occasions. 
Upon fixing the stone in its place, “ This,” 
said the General, “ is the first stone of a work 
which I name the ‘ King’s Bastion :’ may it be 
as gallantly defended, as I know it will be ably 
executed: and may I live to see it resist the 
united efforts of France and Spain." 


serve the highest commendations. To 
their skill, perseverance, and courage, 
with the zealous assistance of the line 
(particularly the corps in town, the 
39th and 72nd regiments), was Gi¬ 
braltar indebted for its safety against 
the combined powers, by sea and land, 
of France and Spain ; and the marine 
brigade, though they had not so consi¬ 
derable a share in the duties of the 
batteries, yet merit the warmest praises 
for their generous intrepidity in rescu¬ 
ing their devoted enemies from amidst 
the flames. 

Whilst the enemy were cool, and 
their ships had received little damage, 
their principal objects were the King’s 
bastion, and line-wall, north of Orange’s 
bastion. Their largest ships (which 
were about 1400 tons burden) were 
stationed off the former, in order to 
silence that important battery, whilst 
a breach was attempted by the rest, in 
the curtain extending from the latter 
to Montague’s bastion. If a breach 
had been effected, the prisoners in¬ 
formed us that “ their grenadiers were 
to have stormed the garrison under 
cover of the combined fleets.” The 
private men complained bitterly of 
their officers for describing the batter¬ 
ing-ships to be invulnerable, and for 
promising that they were to be seconded 
by ten sail of the line, and all the gun 
and mortar boats. They further told 
us, that “ they had been taught to be¬ 
lieve the garrison would not be able to 
discharge many rounds of hot balls: 
their astonishment, therefore, was in¬ 
conceivable when they discovered that 
we fired them with the same precision 
and vivacity as cold shot.” “ Admiral 
Moreno,” they said, “ quitted the Pas- 
tora, which was the flag-ship, a little 
before midnight; but other officers re¬ 
tired much earlier.” The loss sus¬ 
tained by the enemy could never be 
ascertained; but, from the information 
of the prisoners, and the numbers seen 
dead on board the ships, we estimated 
it could not be less than 2000 men, in¬ 
cluding the prisoners. The casualties 
of the garrison, on the contrary, were 
so trifling, that it will appear almost 
incredible that such a quantity of fire, 
in almost all its destructive modes of 






140 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VII. 


action, should not have produced more 
effect, with respect to the loss of men. 
The return stands thus :— 


SEPTEMBER 13TH, 1782. 




Killed. 

JVounded. 

Regiments. 


0. 

s. 

d. 


0. 

$. 

d. 

k 

ltoyal Artillery 

• • 

1 

0 

0 

5 

3 

0 

0 

21 

12th Regiment 

• . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

39th ditto . . 


0 

2 

0 

2 

0 

0 

0 

5 

56th ditto . . 

, 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

0 

2 

58th ditto . . 

# , 

0 

0 

0 

1 

1 

0 

0 

4 

72nd ditto . . 

# # 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

0 

12 

73rd ditto . . 


0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

8 

97th ditto . . 


0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

Hardenberg’s . 

• . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

Reden’s . . . 

« , 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

De la Motte’s . 


0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

Engineers, with 

the 

0 


0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Artificer Company : 

0 

Marine Brigade 

• • 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

5 

Total 

m # 

1 

2 

0 

13 

5 

0 

0 

63 


Officers killed and wounded. 

Artillery—Captain Reeves killed; Captains 
Groves and Siward, with Lieut. Godfrey, 
wounded. 

58th regiment—Lieutenant Wetham (who had 
permission to act as an artillery officer) 
wounded. 

73rd regiment—Captain M'Kenzie wounded. 

The distance of the battering-ships 
from the garrison was exactly such as 
our artillery could have wished. It 
required so small an elevation that al¬ 
most every shot took effect; and the 


cannon thus elevated did not require 
the shot to be wadded—a circumstance 
not unimportant, as the time, which at 
point-blank would have been expended 
in doubly wadding, was employed in 
keeping up the cannonade with greater 
briskness. The damage done to our 
works held no proportion with the vio¬ 
lence of the attack, and the excessive 
cannonade which they had sustained. 
The merlons of the different batteries 
were disordered, and the flank of 
Orange’s bastion was a little injured ; 
but the latter was chiefly done by the 
land fire, and was not of such conse¬ 
quence as to afford any room for appre¬ 
hension. The ordnance and carriages 
were also damaged; but, by the activity 
of the artillery, the whole sea-line, 
before night, was again in serviceable 
order. 

The enemy, in this action, had 328 
pieces of heavy ordnance in play; 
whilst the garrison had only 80 cannon, 

7 mortars, and 9 howitzers in opposi¬ 
tion. Upwards of 8300 rounds (more 
than half of which were hot shot), and 
716 barrels of powder, were expended 
by our artillery. What quantity of 
ammunition was used by the enemy 
could never be ascertained. The fol- ' 
lowing was handed about as an au¬ 
thentic list of the battering-ships:— 


Names of the 

Guns 

Guns 



Battering-ships. 

in use. 

in reserve. 

Men. 

Commanders. 

Pastora . . 

21 

10 

760 

Rear-Admiral Buenaventura 

Tailla Piedra 

. 21 

10 

760 

Prince of NassauSieglien.* 

Paula Prima . 

. 21 

10 

760 

Don Gayetana Langara. 

El Rosario 

19 

10 

700 

Don Francisco Xavier Munos 

St. Christoval 

18 

10 

650 

Don Frederico Gravino. 

Principe Carlos . 

. 11 

4 

400 

Don Antonio Basurta. 

San Juan . . 

. 9 

4 

340 

Don Joseph Angeler. 

Paula Secunda 

. 9 

4 

340 

Don Pablo de Cosa. 

Santa Anna 

. 7 

4 

300 

Don Joseph Goicoechea. 

Los Dolores 

. G 

4 

250 

Don Pedro Sanchez. 


142 


70 


5260 


N.B.—About 36 men to each gun in use, besides sailors, &c. to work the ships. 


The afternoon of the 14th, several 
thousand men marched with colours 
from the enemy’s camp to their lines, and 
many ships in the combined fleet loosed 
their top-sails. These motions, and the 
circumstance of many of their boats 


being manned, caused various specula¬ 
tions in the garrison. Whatever their 
future operations might be, it was pru¬ 
dent to be on our guard: the artillery 
were ordered therefore to remain upon 
the batteries, and the furnaces for heat- 


* M. d’Areon, the French engineer, and projector of the floating batteries, embarked on 
board the Tailla Piedra, and quitted the ship about half an hour after midnight, as he states in 
the Defence of his plan of attack, which was published at Cadiz the following year. 














1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


141 


ing shot to be kept lighted, lest the 
enemy should be prompted to put all 
to the stake, and attempt the garrison 
by a general attack. It was indeed 
afterwards rumoured, that such a de¬ 
sign had been in contemplation, but 
was overruled by the duke, who was 
of opinion it would be exposing the 
fleet and army to inevitable destruction. 

Notwithstanding their recent defeat, 
the enemy continued their cannonade 
from the isthmus; expending, during 
the remainder of the month, from 1000 
to 2000 rounds in the 24 hours ; dimi¬ 
nishing gradually, and confining their 
shells to the night. Their operations 
on the land side were also still carried 
on ; and, if we were able to form any 
conjectures at this period, from their 
motions to the northward, their late 
misfortune did not seem at all to damp 
their hopes of succeeding against the 
garrison. A flag of truce went on the 
15th with letters from our prisoners 
to the camp; and about two o’clock 
in the afternoon, the combined fleet 
handed in their top-sails. Some hours 
afterwards they manned their yards, 
and fired a grand salute. We were at 
a loss to account for these singular re- 
joicings v * Lieut. M‘Namara, of the 
72nd regiment, was wounded the same 
day at Willis’s, where our working 
parties were employed clearing away 
the rubbish from the batteries. 

The garrison having experienced 
the powerful efficacy of red-hot shot, 
and the governor thinking it expedient 
to have a continual supply of them, the 
engineers erected kilns (similar to those 
used in burning lime, but smaller) in 
various parts of the garrison. They 
were large enough to heat upward of 
100 balls in an hour and a quarter; 
and, by this invention, hot shot were, if 
thought necessary, kept continually 
ready for use. Our former method of 
heating the shot was either in the grates 
and furnaces made for that purpose, or 
by piling them in a comer of some old 
house adjoining the batteries (as was 


* The following extract from the French 
account of the siege, already quoted, may 
serve to explain this circumstance : — “ Le 
15, le Comte d’Artois fit a Dom Louis de Cor¬ 
dova l’honneur de se rendre a son bord.” 


principally the practice on the 13th), 
and surrounding them with faggots, 
pieces of timber, and small coal. By 
those means the artificers were enabled 
to supply the artillery with a constant 
succession for the ordnance. Answers 
were received in the afternoon of the 
16th to the prisoners’ letters. At night 
a great number of signals were made 
by the combined fleet. Shot were 
therefore again ordered to be heated, 
and the artillery cautioned to be ready 
to man the batteries. The 39th and 
72nd regiments also lay fully accoutred. 
The same night, the sailors recovered 
the gun-boat which had been sunk on 
the morning of the 14th. As the pri¬ 
soners informed us that intelligence 
had been received, previous to the at¬ 
tack of the battering-ships, that Lord 
Howe, with the British fleet, was pre¬ 
paring to sail for the relief of Gibraltar, 
the navy began to prepare to raise the 
Brilliant and. Porcupine frigates, which 
had been scuttled in the New mole; 
but their efforts, for some time, were 
not attended with success. 

The Spanish officers, prisoners, with 
the Frenchmen who were taken up 
from the wreck upon the night of the 
13th, were sent to the camp on the 
evening of the 17th. The remaining 
Spanish privates were encamped upon 
Windmill-hill, and given in charge to 
the Corsicans. Of the number who 
had been saved from the battering- 
ships, were an officer, a captain of 
marines, and 29 privates, who were 
wounded. Most of these recovered in 
our hospital; but the officer, notwith¬ 
standing every assistance and attention, 
died on the 17th. He was buried, 
the succeeding day, with all military 
honours, attended by the grenadiers of 
the 39th regiment. 

When we reflected of what vast im¬ 
portance this grand enterprise was es¬ 
teemed, and what immense sums had 
been expended in the ingenious and 
formidable preparations, it was ob¬ 
served, with no small surprise, by many 
who were present when the prisoners 
were landed, that the majority of them 
seemed to be past that age when the 
vital powers are supposed to be in their 
greatest vigour. In an expedition where 





142 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. vii. 


youth and strength best promised a 
favourable issue, this impolitic arrange¬ 
ment certainly could not pervade the 
whole! The Spaniards, from their 
dark complexion and meagre diet, 
have naturally, even when young, an 
aged look: and yet our observations 
seemed confirmed by other indubitable 
facts. Several bodies were thrown 
ashore, all of which seemed advanced 
in years; and one in particular ap¬ 
peared, from his grey beard and lean 
visage, past sixty. This corpse was 
horribly mutilated, and, with the mise¬ 
rable objects then under the care of our 
surgeons, convinced us, by ocular proof, 
of the dreadful havoc which our ar¬ 
tillery must have made in the latter 
part of the day. 

The westerly wind, which had cast 
up these unfortunate men, threw also 
on shore many trifling curiosities, and 
some things of value, which had floated 
on the surface of the bay after the 
battering-ships had blown up. Large 
wax candles, such as are usually burnt 
by the Romish priests before their al¬ 
tars ; salt provisions ; and a great num¬ 
ber of ammunition boxes, containing 
10 rounds of powder in linen car¬ 
tridges, were collected by the garrison 
the morning succeeding the defeat. 
Considerable pieces of mahogany, and 
some cedar, were saved from the wrecks 
of those ships whose magazines did not 
blow up, which were afterwards con¬ 
verted into various useful articles, 
serving as memorials of our victory. 
The governor had a handsome set of 
tables made for the Convent (the holes 
in the cedar, where the fire had pene¬ 
trated, being filled up with sound wood, 
cut in various figures, forming a beau¬ 
tiful contrast with the burnt part), 
which will serve as a standing monu¬ 
ment to the guests of the transactions 
of that glorious day. 

The enemy’s fire on the 19th was 
warmer than the few preceding days ; 
and, which was rather extraordinary, 
it was continued whilst a flag of truce 
went from the governor, and another 
returned in answer. The officer who 
brought the Due de Crillon’s answer 
was one of his aides-de-camp, the Comte 
de Rufigniac, colonel of the French 


regiment de Chartres. He pressed 
much to deliver his packet personally 
to the governor, and offered to submit 
to be blindfolded, provided he could be 
admitted into the garrison. He was 
even so urgent as to put his foot on 
board our boat, but was informed by 
the aide-de-camp that his request could 
not be complied with. As the Count 
would not be content with this answer, 
our flag was obliged to return to make 
known his extraordinary importunity 
to the governor, who politely excused 
himself the honour which the Count 
intended him, as the state of affairs 
would not then permit it. We shall have 
occasion again to mention the Count 
before the close of this work. The 
wind changed to the east in the night 
of the 19th; but the combined fleet 
still remained at anchor in the bay. 
The 20th, the mortar boats, which had 
remained inactive for some time, bom¬ 
barded the garrison. They seemed to 
be attended by only four or five gun¬ 
boats, and were extremely cautious in 
directing their fire. Three shells fell 
in Southport ditch, amongst the 39th 
regiment. 

Some changes took place in the go¬ 
vernor’s suite on the 21st: town-major 
Captain Foulis was appointed aide-de- 
camp to the commander-in-chief, and 
Captain Delhoste, of the 72nd regiment, 
town-major. A flag of truce, the same 
day, brought over a letter from the 
duke, in answer to one from the 
governor, of the preceding day. Their 
boat also brought clothing for the 
Walon prisoners. In the evening, 
about eight o’clock, reports were re¬ 
ceived from the northern guards, that 
the enemy were in motion in their 
camp, and that troops were marching 
down to the lines. About the same 
time Some extraordinary signals were 
made by the Spanish admiral. The 
three pickets remaining with the field- 
officer in town were immediately de¬ 
tached to reinforce the captain of 
Landport, the lines, and Waterport, 
who, beside their usual guards, had 
each two pickets with them before. 
The 39th and 72nd regiments were 
again ordered to lie accoutred, and 
the artillery cautioned to be alert. By 




1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


143 


this disposition it was evident the 
governor still expected a further attack 
upon the garrison; and that evening it 
was most to be apprehended, as it was 
possible that the Duke by that day 
might receive an answer from Madrid, 
indicating his future operations. Up¬ 
ward of 1200 men being thus distributed 
n the vicinity of the Grand battery, 
with two regiments at hand to act as 
Jorps de reserve, we waited the further 
movements of the enemy. A little be¬ 
fore midnight, a soldier of the 73rd 
regiment, removing rubbish from the 
Prince’s lines, fell from the extremity, 
and was killed. An officer with a 
small detachment was immediately or¬ 
dered from Landport to bring in the 
body. This was discovered by the 
enemy’s advanced parties, who opposed 
it by a brisk discharge of musketry in 
regular platoons. Queen’s lines guard 
protected our party, who returned with 
the body without any casualties. The 
steady and animated fire supported by 
the enemy convinced us of the strength 
of their advanced posts. Nothing ex¬ 
traordinary, however, happened during 
the night after this occurrence. 

The governor still continued the 
party at Lower Forbes’s under the 
lines. On the night of the 23rd they 
discovered two men near the stone 
sentry-box, within the ruins of the old 
barrier. The serjeant’s orders (the 
reader may remember) were, not to 
fire but in his own defence, or in case 
of an alarm ; but observing them 
measuring with a chain the distance 
between the foot of the rock and the 
Inundation, and thinking they might 
be persons of some consequence, and 
probably possessed of memorandums 
which might discover the motives of 
their manoeuvres, he determined in this 
case to fire: they, in return, alarmed 
at his preparations, suddenly appeared 


on the defensive; but the serjeant was 
so lucky as to kill the principal person, 
and the other ran off. The body was 
instantly brought in, but no papers of 
consequence were found about him. 
He was thought to have been a volun¬ 
teer. The serjeant, who was a cadet 
in General Reden’s regiment, was soon 
afterwards promoted to a commission ; 
but whether for this service, or in his 
tour , I cannot inform my reader. 

The enemy’s firing seemed now to be 
directed under the following regulations. 
About five or six in the morning, when 
the night-pickets were retiring from 
their posts, the cannonade commenced, 
and continued pretty brisk till noon. 
From twelve to two o’clock there was 
the usual intermission; for, as I have 
remarked before, the Spaniards would 
not be deprived of their customary nap, 
or siesta. In the decline of the day 
they discharged more or less, as their 
caprice dictated. About seven in the 
evening their cannon ceased, and their 
mortars took up the fire, continuing it till 
daybreak of the succeeding day. The 
ammunition now expended was gene¬ 
rally from 400 to 500, and sometimes 
600 shells in the 24 hours, with from 
600 to 1000 shot. The profusion of 
the former had greatly diminished the 
immense piles in their artillery park, 
and their howitzers were by no means 
so lavish of their troublesome shells as 
they had been. 

The 24th, the Brilliant frigate was 
raised after much trouble. The same 
day about noon, upward of 50 boats, 
which had been assembled for the 
attack, returned to the westward, and 
the mantlet-boats retired up the river 
Palmones. The departure of the for¬ 
mer, with others which had left the 
bay the two preceding days, reduced 
their remaining small craft to a very 
trifling number. 





144 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VIII. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


The Combined Fleets remain in Gibraltar Bay, being determined to oppose the relief of the 
Garrison—Captain Curtis visits the Enemy’s Camp to establish a cartel—Enemy raise 
additional works—The Combined Fleets greatly distressed by a hurricane—A Spanish line- 
of-battle ship is driven under the walls of Gibraltar, and submits to the Garrison—At this 
juncture the British Fleet appear in the Straits, but the convoy unfortunately pass the 
Rock to the eastward—Letters received from the British Ministry by the Governor—The 
Combined Fleets, after making repairs, follow the British Fleet into the Mediterranean, 
but avoid an action—Lord Howe conducts the convoy safe into the Bay, returns to the 
westward, and is followed by the Combined Fleets—Enemy’s cannonade diminishes, and 
the fire from the Garrison increases—Enemy establish a post under the Rock near the 
Devil’s Tower—Repeat their attacks from the gun-boats—The Due de Crillon acquaints 
General Eliott that the preliminaries of a General Peace had been signed—Hostilities in 
consequence cease—The Emperor of Morocco sends a present of cattle with a letter to 
General Eliott, who soon afterwards receives from England official accounts of the Peace— 
Interview between the Due de Crillon and the Governor—The Governor views the Spanish 
batteries, and dines at San Roque—The Duke returns the visit, in the Garrison—Ceremony 
of investing the Governor with the Order of the Bath—Sir George Augustus Eliott’s speech 
to the Garrison, upon communicating to them the Thanks of the King and Parliament for 
their Defence of Gibraltar. 


Notwithstanding that we might na¬ 
turally infer, from the dispersion of 
their small craft, that the enemy had 
at length relinquished the hope of 
taking Gibraltar by force of arms, yet 
the continuance of their cannonade, 
and the presence of the combined fleets 
(though frequent opportunities had of¬ 
fered for their return to the westward), 
rendered their conduct so ambiguous 
that we could form no idea what line 
they purposed to pursue in their future 
operations. We knew a relief was in¬ 
tended by the British fleet; but we 
could never imagine, if there was any¬ 
thing of an equality, that the enemy 
would venture an opposition, even 
though a victory might make them 
masters of Gibraltar. We waited, 
therefore, a few days to observe the 
movements of our adversaries, and by 
their actions expected to solve the dif¬ 
ficulty. 

The evening of the 26th of Septem¬ 
ber, the whole of the combined army 
were under arms, formed in one line 
(which extended about four miles and 
a half) from the river Guadaranque to 


very near Fort Tonara. Some persons 
of high rank, attended by a numerous 
suite of cavalry, passed along the front; 
and they were not dismissed till after 
sunset. In the evening, Major Hors¬ 
fall, of the 72nd regiment, was wounded 
by a splinter of a shell. At night, 
another of our workmen in the Prince’s 
lines fell from the extremity, and was 
killed. A party was detached from 
Landport to bring in the body, and the 
Queen’s lines and other guards ordered 
to protect them; the enemy however 
remained quiet. The 27th, their parties 
began to collect brushwood for fascines. 
This circumstance served the more to 
increase our doubts relative to their 
future conduct. The same day, our 
navy got up the Porcupine frigate ; the 
engineers also finished the Royal and 
Green’s lodge batteries. The former 
is 1300, and the latter 900 feet above 
the level of the isthmus; yet, notwith¬ 
standing this elevation, the enemy’s 
fire, during Don Alvarez’s bombard¬ 
ment, was found to be so galling, that 
the engineers were under the necessity 
of covering them with caissoned mer- 




1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


145 


Ions. Several launches full of troops 
were observed, on the 29th, going on 
board the combined fleet. They were 
supposed to be marines who had been 
landed from the men-of-war previous 
to the grand attack. A flag of truce, 
the same day, brought clothes for the 
prisoners. Early on the morning of 
the 30th, a soldier of the 72nd regi¬ 
ment deserted from the serjeant’s party 
at Lower Forbes’s. His own brother 
was one of the guard. The same day, 
the combined fleets were joined by a 
line-of-battle ship. The enemy’s can¬ 
nonade still continued to be about 1000 
or 1100 rounds of shot and shells 
in the 24 hours. "Willis’s batteries, 
and the extremity of the Prince’s 
and Queen’s lines, were much damaged 
from the 64-gun battery. A flag 
of truce went from the garrison with 
a letter, and two parcels, which had 
been sent on the 29th, directed for per¬ 
sons who could not be found amongst 
the prisoners. In the evening of the 
30th, the mortar-boats bombarded our 
camp. At first we imagined they were 
alone, but the gun-boats soon after¬ 
wards fired upon the town from the 
northward. Two shells fell in the 
hospital, and wounded several of the 
sick. Other casualties also happened 
in the garrison. The prisoners upon 
Windmill-hill were alarmed, on two 
or three shells falling near their camp; 
and it was not without some severity 
that their guards could keep themselves 
within the boundaries. 

Early on the 1st of October, a boat 
came into Little Bay, with a Corsican 
on board, who had escaped from Alge- 
ziras. He had been mate of a neutral 
vessel; but, hearing that some of his 
relations were in the Corsican corps, 
he was determined to join his country¬ 
men. The intelligence which he 
brought was, that Lord Howe only 
waited some reinforcements to sail for 
the relief of Gibraltar, and that the 
combined fleet were resolved to oppose 
him. Thus consoled with the hope of 
preventing the intended succours, the 
enemy still flattered themselves that 
Gibraltar must of necessity submit, 
through the mere failure of provisions. 
In the course of the day, the corpse of 


a Spanish officer was washed ashore 
under our walls: a purse of pistoles, 
and a gold watch, were found in his 
pockets. He was buried with respect, 
two navy officers attending the funeral; 
and the following day, a flag of truce 
delivered the watch and money, to be 
returned to his friends. The 2nd, 
several men were wounded by the 
enemy’s shot, in the gallery above 
Farringdon’s, which continued to be 
prosecuted with diligence; and Serjeant 
Harrop, of the 72nd regiment*(a man 
universally noticed and admired for his 
gallantry and conduct in the works), 
was killed at Willis’s. We observed, 
the same day, several boats which for¬ 
merly had mantlets in the bow, return¬ 
ing from the river Palmones; having, 
as we imagined, undergone some altera¬ 
tions, to enable them to act as gun¬ 
boats. In case of a visit from the 
latter, signals were now determined 
upon, to intimate when the artillery 
were to man the batteries. Two guns 
quick, and a red flag hoisted upon a 
flag-staff erected on the South bastion, 
was to be the day signal; two guns 
quick and a light, the signal for the 
night. In the evening, we had an op¬ 
portunity of practising our new signals, 
by the approach of the mortar-boats, 
which bombarded the garrison for 
about two hours. The gun-boats, 
though perhaps attending them, did 
not fire. Previous to their visit, some 
muskets were discharged, and some 
signals made amongst the fleet; but 
we could not observe any particular 
movements. 

In the forenoon of the 3rd, a Spanish 
frigate, with a flag of truce at her fore¬ 
top-gallant mast-head, anchored within 
gun-shot of the Old mole head, and 
immediately Captain Curtis went on 
board her. In the forenoon, Captain 
Curtis returned, and the frigate sailed 
back to the fleet. The wind at the 
time was so strong, that she was obliged 
to leave her anchor behind; which 
being mentioned to the governor, 
orders were sent, not to fire upon the 
boats when they returned to fish it up. 
The following day, Captain Curtis, 
accompanied by the governor’s secre¬ 
tary and a naval officer, went in his 
L 






146 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. vm. 


barge to the Orange-grove; where a 
carriage waited, and conducted them 
to Buena Vista, the Duke’s quarters. 
The intention of this visit, we after¬ 
wards understood, was to establish a car¬ 
tel with the Spaniards for the exchange 
of prisoners. Captain Curtis was in¬ 
troduced, by the Due de Crillon, to 
his Royal Highness the Comte d’Artois, 
who thanked him, in very handsome 
terms, for his humanity and gallantry 
in relieving the unfortunate prisoners 
from tli* burning battering-ships; re¬ 
questing Captain Curtis at the same 
time to inform the governor, that he 
entertained the. highest esteem and 
respect for him, for his benevolence 
and liberality to the prisoners upon 
the same occasion. Before Captain 
Curtis returned, which was in the 
evening, the kilns for heating shot 
were lighted, and other preparations 
made, as if some attack was expected. 
During this correspondence, the ene¬ 
my’s batteries observed a proper silence, 
in respect to the flag. Captain Curtis 
informed us, that Lord Howe, with the 
British fleet, was certainly on his pass¬ 
age to the Mediterranean. The garri¬ 
son did not however feel that indescrib¬ 
able satisfaction and pleasure on receiv¬ 
ing this intelligence, which we had 
experienced when Admirals Rodney 
and Darby were announced in 1780 
and 1781. A French rear-admiral, 
in a three-decker, with a frigate, and 
several smaller armed vessels, joined 
the combined fleet on the 3rd. The 
man-of-war had many signals flying 
when she entered the bay, which were 
answered by the Spanish admiral. 

The enemy’s cannonade was still 
continued, with such variation as their 
caprice dictated. The number of 
rounds of shot and shells usually ex¬ 
ceeded 800 in the 24 hours, and 
sometimes amounted to 1100 or 1200. 
We amused them with a trifling return, 
directed chiefly to their parties, who, 
to our astonishment, were still form¬ 
ing considerable depots of fascines and 
materials in the lines. Lieutenant 
Kenneth M‘Kenzie, of the 73rd, was 
wounded on the 4th, in the communi¬ 
cation from the King’s to the Queen’s 
lines. Two days afterwards, agreeably 


to a flag of truce of the preceding day, 
the Spanish prisoners (excepting 10 
sick in the hospital, and 59 Walons 
and foreigners who requested to stay 
behind) were sent to the combined 
camp. The Walons who preferred 
staying in the garrison were embodied 
into those corps which chose to receive 
them. The 39th and 58th regiments 
entertained 10 each; and the remain¬ 
der were incorporated with the Corsi¬ 
can company. 

Two of the enemy’s engineers had 
been observed on the 4th, picketing out 
a work, extending from the ruins of the 
Mahon battery to the western beach, 
crossing the north-west angle of the 
farthest gardens. We were at a loss 
what to conclude from this appearance 
of a determination still to prosecute the 
siege. They did not however let us 
remain long in suspense; for, on the 
morning of the 6th, we discovered that 
they had erected a strong boyau of ap¬ 
proach, extending, in the line before 
mentioned, about 430 yards—near a 
quarter of a mile. It was raised with 
sand-bags; and from its resemblance 
to the original epaulment of the 64-gun 
battery, some imagined it was intended 
for the same purpose; though the 
engineers were of opinion, it was 
only a communication to some addi¬ 
tional works in embryo. Although the 
enemy, by throwing up this extensive 
work, gained by stealth a second ad¬ 
vantage upon the garrison, yet the go¬ 
vernor was determined, if possible, to 
prevent them completing it. The Old 
mole head howitzers, with a warm fire 
from the heights, were opened at night 
upon this new object; and, as the 
former almost entirely enfiladed it, the 
enemy were so much annoyed, that it 
was never finished. The night of the 
6th, they made good the communica¬ 
tion to the parallel, from the extremity 
of the boyau, near the ruins of the 
Mahon battery, which was left imper¬ 
fect the preceding night. 

The following day, the St. Martin’s 
battery took fire from the wadding or 
discharge of their own cannon. One 
merlon was destroyed, and another 
considerably damaged, before the 
flames were extinguished. We threw 





1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


147 


a few shells from below, to disturb . 
them in this duty; but otherwise no 
particular notice was taken of the ac¬ 
cident. The enemy found their situ¬ 
ation so extremely warm in their new 
boyau, that, on the night of the 7th, 
they threw up a strong shoulder at the 
extremity near the beach, to protect 
them against the Hanking fire of the 
howitzers of the Old mole head. Our 
shells were nevertheless fired with 
such judgment and dexterity as just to 
dear the traverse, and seemed to do 
as much execution in the interior part 
as before. Great quantities of fascines, 
&c., were scattered in the rear; 
whence we concluded they purposed 
working in the night, but had been 
prevented by the vivacity of our fire. 
They also repaired the St. Martin’s 
battery. A flag of truce brought over 
letters for the governor and Captain 
Curtis on the 8th; and, at night, a 
boat sailed for Leghorn with a midship¬ 
man and six sailors, bearing home dis¬ 
patches from the governor. This was 
the first boat or vessel which left the 
garrison after the victory of the pre¬ 
ceding month. 

The enemy, about the 8th or 9th, 
adopted a new plan for the regulation 
of their bombardment during the night: 
every 10 or 15 minutes they discharged 
five, seven, and sometimes ten mortars 
at die same time, directing the shells 
principally to the same object. After 
a silence of the above period, they sa¬ 
luted us with a second volley, and so 
on till morning gun-fire. The number 
of rounds continued variable, from 400 
to 600 shots, with almost the same pro¬ 
portion of shells, in the 24 hours. 
They were enabled to expend these im¬ 
mense quantities of ammunition by re¬ 
ceiving constant supplies. The parties 
in the fascine park appeared now to be 
considerably increased, and an univer¬ 
sal activity seemed still to prevail 
through the different departments. A 
person, ignorant of what had passed, 
and suddenly brought to view their 
proceedings, might therefore naturally 
conclude from their operations, that 
they were elated with, and following 
up some success, rather than depressed 
by a defeat. On the night of the 9th, 


i some signals were made at Cabrita 
Point, which were answered by the 
combined fleets, each ship showing a 
light. 

The wind blew fresh westerly on 
the 10th; and two frigates and a cutter 
joined the combined fleets from that 
quarter. In the evening, a number of 
signals were made by the Spanish ad¬ 
miral, which were answered by various 
ships in the fleet. After sunset, the 
gale increased, and at midnight it blew 
a hurricane, with smart showers of 
rain. Signal-guns were repeatedly 
fired by the combined fleets; and from 
their continuance, and the violence of 
the wind, we concluded some of them 
were in distress. At daybreak, a Spa¬ 
nish two-decker was discovered in a 
crippled state, close in shore off 
Orange’s bastion : she was under close- 
reefed courses, and had lost her mizen 
topmast. Observing her danger upon 
an enemy’s lee-shore, she suddenly 
luffed up, and endeavoured to weather 
the garrison: as she passed several 
shots were fired through her from the 
King’s bastion, which killed two, and 
wounded two others; and soon after¬ 
wards she grounded near Ragged Staffs 
and struck to the garrison, hoisting 
an English jack over her own colours. 
A boat from the Speedwell cutter im¬ 
mediately took possession of the San 
Miguel, or St Michael, of 72 guns, 
commanded by Don Juan Moreno, a 
Chef d’Escadre. The officers and men, 
to the number of 634 (many of whom 
were dismounted dragoons), were im¬ 
mediately landed, and conducted to the 
quarters before occupied by their 
frierfds upon Windmill-hill. The gover¬ 
nor was present when they were 
brought ashore, and generously permit¬ 
ted them to take their baggage un¬ 
searched, and the officers their stock of 
fresh provisions. When the morning 
cleared up, so as to admit of our ob¬ 
serving the state of the combined fleets, 
we discovered the whole in great dis¬ 
order. One was on shore near their 
grand magazine; a French ship of the 
line had lost her foremast and bow¬ 
sprit ; one, a three-decker, was missing, 
supposed to be driven from her anchors 
to the eastward; and three or four 
L 2 




148 


[chap, viil; 


HISTORY 


were forced half-bay over (two within 
range of the garrison), where they all 
seemed to be in a very precarious situ¬ 
ation. Many of the parapet boats, and 
other small craft, were also driven on 
shore near the Orange-grove. If the 
storm had continued a few hours 
longer, it is not improbable that a 
three-decker, with several other ships, 
would have suffered the fate of the St. 
Michael. The wind, however, abated 
as the day advanced; and, when the 
swell would permit them to assist the 
disabled ships, the boats were busily 
employed in carrying out anchors and 
cables to those which appeared most in 
distress. The garrison were not idle 
spectators of these movements: several 
sea mortars were soon brought to bear 
on the nearest ships, and one was in a 
short time obliged to move; but an¬ 
choring again off Point Mala, we con¬ 
tinued annoying her with shells and 
red-hot shot, till she warped out of our 
range. 

The prisoners were no sooner landed 
from the prize, than the seamen began 
to lighten the vessel, by removing her 
powder ashore, and cutting away the 
mizen-mast: but she remaining still 
aground, they carried out anchors to 
prevent her going further ashore, in¬ 
tending to renew their exertions to 
warp her off at high water. The St. 
Michael was esteemed one of the best 
sailers in the Spanish navy. She was a 
new ship, built at the Havannah; very 
lofty between decks, which were of 
mahogany, and her beams of cedar. 
When the combined fleets appeared in 
the English Channel, the St. Michael 
was one of the leading ships, and was 
also in the squadron which fired upon 
the garrison the 9 th of September, when 
the Due de Crillon opened his bat¬ 
teries. The Spanish officers informed 
us they had received intelligence, the 
preceding day, of the approach of the 
British fleet; which had induced Ad¬ 
miral Cordova to order the combined 
fleets to lie at single anchor, and pre¬ 
pare to weigh at the shortest notice: 
that they were thus situated when the 
gale came on; and, the hurricane still 
increasing, a three-decker, early in the 
morning, ran foul of the St. Michael 


OF THE 


and forced her from her anchor: that 
she immediately set sail, but, as the 
event had evinced, found it impossible 
to weather the rock. 

The intelligence of Lord Howe being 
so near, now, for the first time, gave us 
sensible pleasure; not so much • on ac¬ 
count of our personal situation, as of 
the advantage which the enemy’s recent 
misfortunes would give his lordship 
over his opponents, as well toward 
accomplishing the object of his orders, 
as affording him a further opportunity 
of acting as his lordship’s well-known 
abilities might dictate. We were so 
elated by our enemy’s distress, that 
some were so sanguine as to anticipate 
the most glorious conclusion of the war 
and our own sufferings. Our hopes 
however were soon depressed by the 
intelligence of Lord Howe’s great in¬ 
feriority in number. Thirty-four sail 
to oppose forty-two, which still re¬ 
mained at anchor in the bay, gave us 
reason to be apprehensive for the safety 
of the British fleet The navigation of 
the Straits was so precarious, that if 
his lordship once entered the Mediter¬ 
ranean he might probably be prevented 
from returning for a considerable time; 
and the enemy, though now distressed, 
might, by the assistance of the camp, 
soon refit, and attack him under every 
advantage. By this digression I am, 
however, anticipating the regular nar¬ 
rative. In the afternoon a French 
two-decker sailed to the eastward; and 
soon after a settee came in from the 
west, and fired several guns as she en¬ 
tered the bay. At this time it was so 
very hazy in the Straits, that we could 
not see the opposite coasts. About sun¬ 
set several large ships were discovered 
through the haze ; and soon after, the 
Latona frigate, Captain Conway, an¬ 
chored under our guns, and informed 
us that the ships in the Straits were 
the van of the British fleet, commanded 
by Lord Howe, consisting of 34 sail of 
the line, including 11 three-deckers, 
with 6 frigates and 31 ordnance trans¬ 
ports, and a reinforcement of upward 
of 1600 men for the garrison. Cap¬ 
tain Conway further told us of the 
great anxiety which prevailed at home 
relative to the situation of Gibraltar; 





1-782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


149 


and that it was only off the southern 
coast of Portugal that Lord Howe had 
his uneasiness removed, by receiving 
intelligence of the enemy’s complete 
defeat. This welcome information, he 
said, was accompanied by advice, that 
“the combined fleets had taken their 
station in the bay of Gibraltar, re¬ 
solutely determined to prevent, if pos¬ 
sible, the intended relief.” We learned 
that, upon receiving the latter intelli¬ 
gence, the admirals and principal offi¬ 
cers were summoned on board the 
Victory; where particular instructions 
and orders were communicated, in ex¬ 
pectation of an engagement, which was 
considered as unavoidable. 

Although the enemy’s signals for 
the approach of the British fleet were 
made early in the afternoon, yet the 
Spanish admiral exhibited not the least 
appearance of opposition to any rein¬ 
forcements being thrown into the gar¬ 
rison. This favourable opportunity 
was, however, lost; owing, as Lord 
Howe expresses in his official letter, 
“ to the want of timely attention to the 
circumstances of the navigation.” Only 
four or five transports reached the 
rock; the rest, with the fleet, were car¬ 
ried by the current into the Mediter¬ 
ranean. At night, or early on the 12th, 
Captain Curtis sailed in the Latona, to 
inform Lord Howe of the calamity 
which had befallen the enemy’s fleet. 
At noon the British fleet appeared in 
good order off Estepona or Marbella; 
and the transports, with the frigates, 
were working to windward to gain the 
bay. As they approached the isthmus 
the enemy saluted them from their 
mortars, and fired upon them from 
behind the eastern advanced guard¬ 
house. 

Whilst the British fleet, with the 
transports, were thus critically situated, 
the combined fleets were very active in 
repairing their late damages, and in 
forming a line of battle along the shore. 
In the evening a number of troops were 
embarked on board them from the camp. 
Their xebeques, cutters, armed brigs, 
and gun-boats, also assembled in Sandy 
Bay, with an intention probably of 
picking up our straggling transports. 
In the close of the day, however, this 


fleet of craft returned to their main 
fleet. At night the Panther man-of- 
war, and several transports, anchored 
in the bay. 

The enemy on the land-side per¬ 
severed in their cannonade; and ob¬ 
serving that the St. Michael had run 
aground within the range of their bat¬ 
teries, threw great numbers of shells, 
with an intent to destroy her. Many 
burst over her, and some fell very near; 
but, as their artillery could only be 
directed by her masts, none fell on 
board. They pointed their usual weight 
of fire against our works, which the 
governor (now that a prospect of sup¬ 
plies appeared) returned with unusual 
vivacity. Their new boyau severely 
felt the effect of our ordnance. It was 
considerably deranged, and the en¬ 
filading howitzers at the Old mole head 
prevented them from strengthening it 
with any additions of consequence. In 
the garrison orders of the 12th, the fol¬ 
lowing extracts from the dispatches 
received by the governor were in¬ 
serted :— 

G. 0. “ Extract from a letter to the 
governor, from the Right Hon. 
the Earl of Shelburne, principal 
secretary of state to his Ma¬ 
jesty. Dated St. James’s, July 
10th, 1782. 

“ 1 am also honoured with his Ma¬ 
jesty’s command to assure you in the 
strongest terms, that no encouragement 
shall be wanting to the brave officers 
and soldiers under your command. His 
royal approbation of the past will no 
doubt be a powerful incentive to future 
exertions; and I have the King’s au¬ 
thority to assure you, that every distin¬ 
guished act of emulation and gallantry 
which shall be performed in course of 
the siege by any, even of the lowest 
rank, will meet with ample reward from 
his gracious protection and favour. 
These his Majesty’s intentions you will 
communicate to every part of your gar¬ 
rison, that they may be perfectly sa¬ 
tisfied their royal master feels for the 
difficulties they are under, admires 
their glorious resistance, and will be 
happy to reward their merit.” 





150 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. Till. 


“ Extract from a letter to the governor 
from the Right Hon. Gen. Conway, 
commander-in-chief of his Majesty’s 
forces. Dated August 31st, 1782. 

“ I am now to add that I have the 
King’s command to inform you, that he 
is in the greatest degree satisfied with 
the brave and steady defence made by 
your garrison; and his Majesty is de¬ 
sirous of showing them every mark of 
his royal approbation. It is in this 
light that his Majesty has been gra¬ 
ciously pleased to consent to granting 
bat and forage-money, as a proper in¬ 
dulgence to your officers.” 

These extracts were perused by the 
garrison with great satisfaction, as they 
demonstrated that the safety of Gibral¬ 
tar was esteemed a matter of the first 
importance; and flattered us with the 
agreeable hopes that our late services 
would be duly appreciated by our 
friends and countrymen. 

The British fleet, at daybreak on the 
13th, was still off Marbella, with the 
wind at west. About nine o’clock a.m. 
the Spanish admiral made the signal 
for the combined fleets to weigh an¬ 
chor. By one o’clock the whole were 
under way. At three a French rear- 
admiral, being the last of the rear divi¬ 
sion, cleared the bay. Their number 
in all amounted to 80 sail, of which 
the following, I believe, is an accu¬ 
rate account: 6 three-deckers, 38 two- 
deckers, including several fifties (total, 
44 men-of-war); 5 frigates, 29 xe- 
beques, cutters, armed ships, and brigs; 
also 2, imagined to be fire-ships. Not¬ 
withstanding little doubt was to be en¬ 
tertained of the enemy’s intention of 
leaving the bay, the Panther man-of- 
war remained at anchor with several 
officers of the garrison on board, whom 
the governor had permitted to act as 
volunteers in the expected engagement. 
When the combined fleets had cleared 
the bay, they stood some time to the 
southward, and leaving a line-of-battle 
ship and two frigates to prevent the 
Panther from joiniug her admiral, 
drove with the current some leagues to 
the eastward. They then appeared to 
edge down towards the British fleet, 
which was in close line of battle upon a 
wind, with their heads to the south¬ 


ward ; the transports, with the frigates 
which had been beating up, falling be¬ 
hind them to leeward. Thus were 
both fleets situated at the close of the 
evening. Before the enemy had totally 
quitted the bay, Captain Curtis landed 
in a small boat from the Latona frigate, 
with 20,000/. in specie for the garrison, 
having narrowly escaped being cut off 
by the combined fleets. He told us the 
British fleet were in high spirits, and 
impatient to engage, notwithstanding 
the enemy’s great superiority. When 
the combined fleets first appeared in 
motion, the Spanish prisoners who had 
been landed from the St. Michael were 
so overjoyed, that they could not for¬ 
bear expressing their ecstacies in so 
riotous a manner as to call for some 
severity, to confine them within the 
limits of their camp. 

As our observations on the manoeu¬ 
vres of the fleet were interrupted soon 
after sunset, we impatiently waited for 
the succeeding day to be spectators of 
the action, which was now considered 
as impossible to be avoided; and orders 
were therefore given for preparing 
several wards in the Navy hospital for 
the reception of the wounded: but, on 
the dawn of the 14th,-the fleets, to our 
astonishment, were some leagues dis¬ 
tant from each other; the British being 
to leeward in the south-east quarter, 
whilst the combined fleets appeared in 
the north-east, off Estepona. In the 
evening the British fleet could be dis¬ 
covered only from the summit of the 
rock. It seemed to the garrison that 
the Spanish admiral, by having the 
weather-gage, had it in his option to 
bring the British fleet to action if he 
pleased. The fleets being thus sepa¬ 
rated, the Panther, about noon, en¬ 
deavoured to join Lord Howe, but put 
back for want of wind. Seventeen gun¬ 
boats came from Algeziras, apparently 
to prevent her leaving the bay ; but ob¬ 
serving her cast anchor, they returned. 

The enemy’s cannonade on the land- 
side was continued with great vivacity. 
A few days, nay, probably hours, were 
to turn the balance for or against their 
future hopes of obtaining the grand 
object of their wishes: they were not 
therefore economical in their ammuni- 






.1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


151 


tion; nor was the garrison in the least 
behind them in the brisk use of their 
ordnance. Lieut. Gromley, of the 
Royal Artillery, was mortally wounded 
in the evening at Willis’s, and died soon 
after he was brought to the hospital. 

Part of the combined fleets, in the 
morning of the 15th, was seen (though 
the weather was very hazy) off Mar- 
bella. The British fleet was out of 
sight; the Panther nevertheless at¬ 
tempted to join them. About 8 a.m. 
the wind came about to the eastward. 
In the forenoon 9 polacres sailed from 
the Spanish camp, with troops on board 
for Ceuta, This brought to our recol¬ 
lection the critical state of that garrison 
both as to men and provisions, when 
Admiral Rodney was in their neigh¬ 
bourhood in 1780; and the enemy, 
from embracing this opportunity of 
sending supplies, appeared not entirely 
to have forgotten it. About noon, the 
British fleet was discovered in the 
offing, to the south-east of Ceuta, stand¬ 
ing under an easy sail towards the rock. 
At night the Latona, with 8 or 10 
transports, anchored in the bay. They 
informed us that the Buffalo man-of- 
war, with the remaining twelve trans¬ 
ports, had separated (by order) from 
the fleet, but had not afterwards 
joined. This intelligence gave us 
some uneasiness for their safety; but 
we flattered ourselves they were gone, 
agreeably to instructions, to the Zafa- 
rine Islands, the place of rendezvous in 
case the fleets engaged. Capt. Conway, 
after a short conference with the go¬ 
vernor, returned in the morning of the 
16th to the British fleet, which was 
cruising to the eastward of the rock, 
with the wind at east. The combined 
fleets were not in sight: we concluded 
therefore that they were gone to Ma¬ 
laga to make further repairs, and join 
those ships which had been forced from 
the bay on the 11th. Since the arrival 
of the first transports, the garrison had 
been busily employed in disembarking 
the supplies. The former fleets had 
brought us principally provisions; this 
brought us only men and ammunition, 
which probably might, without this 
supply, have become as scarce articles 
as the former had been. 


The exertions of the navy not being 
successful in floating the St. Michael, a 
hundred sailors were detached on board 
on the 17th, to their assistance ; and 
not long afterwards, she was anchored 
off the New mole. It was peculiarly 
fortunate that she grounded on a bank 
of sand, though she was surrounded 
with rocks: her bottom was therefore 
little injured. Sir Charles Knowles, 
Bart., who had been formerly on this 
station, was appointed to command her. 
The wind had now changed to the 
south-west; and, in the forenoon of the 
same day, a British frigate appeared 
from the west. She made a signal 
when off Europa, which being an¬ 
swered by our fleet, she immediately 
joined them. At night, the gun-boats 
being heard in the bay, our batteries 
were manned to receive them; but, 
upon a gun being fired from the St. 
Michael, they threw up their rockets 
and returned. Some were of opinion 
that they meditated an attempt to cut 
her out. The 18th, the wind again 
came about to the east; and the Buff alo, 
with eleven of the missing transports, 
arrived in the course of the day. These 
ships, as we had conjectured, had sepa¬ 
rated from the fleet, and were pro¬ 
ceeding to the place of rendezvous, 
when, not hearing any firing, and the 
wind veering about, they returned, and 
were very near joining the combined 
fleets, but discovered their error time 
enough to rectify it. The missing ves¬ 
sel, they informed us, had been taken 
by the enemy, some days before, off 
Malaga; and, having on board the 
wives and baggage of the two regiments 
which were on board the fleet, and 
were intended for our reinforcement, 
her capture greatly distressed those 
corps, and the garrison heartily con¬ 
doled with them. The Latona, in her 
return to the fleet, chased and boarded 
a vessel, which proved to be a Spanish 
fire-ship. The crew, deserting her, 
were conducted, by two gun-boats at¬ 
tending, to a xebeque at some distance, 
which afterwards went into Ceuta. 
The prize was sent into the bay. About 
noon, 4 or 5 men-of-war arrived from 
the fleet, with the 25th and 59th regi¬ 
ments. Lord Mulgrave, who com- 




152 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. vnr. 


manded the disembarkation, landed 
the troops with the greatest expedition 
tinder the line-wall at the New mole, 
Rosia and Camp bays, and returned to 
Lord Howe off Tetuan. The two re¬ 
giments were encamped before ten 
o’clock at night; the former behind the 
barracks, the latter upon Windmill- 
hill. We now learned that the admiral, 
having accomplished the object of the 
expedition, intended to embrace the fa¬ 
vourable opportunity of the wind, and 
immediately return to the westward. 
In the course of the night, the fire-ship 
brought in by Capt. Conway was pur¬ 
posely set on fire, and being anchored 
apart from the shipping, blew up with¬ 
out doing any damage. The Latona 
soon afterwards joined the British fleet. 
Capt. Vallotton, the governor’s first 
aide-de-camp, embarked in her to bear 
home the governor’s public dispatches. 
Capt. Curtis also went in her, to com¬ 
municate information from the governor, 
to Lord Howe; and did not return. 

At daybreak on the 19th, both fleets, 
to our great astonishment, were in 
sight; the combined fleets being some 
leagues to windward. When the Bri¬ 
tish fleet was abreast of Europa, Lord 
Howe dispatched the Tisiphone fire¬ 
ship, with a further supply of powder 
collected from the fleet. The Bri¬ 
tish fleet afterwards put before the 
wind, and stood, under an easy sail, in 
close order to the westward. The van 
of the combined fleet, composed of 
French ships, followed with a press of 
canvass at some distance. By two 
o’clock p.m. Lord Howe's fleet was out 
of sight; but the Spanish ships sailing 
heavily, it was night before they dis¬ 
appeared. Though fully convinced of 
the prudence of his lordship’s conduct, 
it was no very pleasing prospect for a 
British garrison to behold a British 
fleet, though inferior in force, lead the 
enemy. At night, the wind changed 
to the south-west; and the succeeding 
day, a brisk cannonade was heard from 
that quarter. This, however, could not 
proceed from the action which after¬ 
wards took place between the fleets, as 
the firing was heard early in the morn¬ 
ing. Some time on the 19th, a guard 
of 2 subalterns and 96 men was ordered 


from the 25th and 59th regiments on 
board the St. Michael, where they re¬ 
mained till she was completely repaired. 

Several large ships were observed, 
on the 20th, to be anchored at some 
distance from Algeziras; and, as six 
or seven were conjectured to be fire¬ 
ships, precautions were accordingly 
taken, and the batteries from South 
bastion to Europa ordered, in case of 
alarm, to be doubly manned. The 
enemy, the same day, got off the man- 
of-war which ran ashore near their 
grand magazine. In the evening some 
movements were observed in the French 
camp; and on the succeeding day most 
of the tents were struck. In the after¬ 
noon, the resident Spanish priest was 
confined to his house, for holding con¬ 
versation with some of the prisoners on 
Windmill-hill. The enemy’s cannon¬ 
ade was still continued, upon an average 
of about 500 or 600 rounds in the 24 
hours. They lined some part of the 
new boyau with fascines, and raised a 
few traverses in the rear, notwithstand¬ 
ing our brisk fire: they were, however, 
prevented from making any additions 
of consequence. On the 22nd, a pola- 
cre arrived from Algiers, with intelli¬ 
gence from the British consul, that 
Lord Howe had sailed for the relief of 
Gibraltar. Happily his lordship had 
effected that business, and, probably, be¬ 
fore they at Algiers were informed of 
the British fleet having left England. 

The extreme distress which the gar¬ 
rison had experienced in the close of 
the years 1779 and 1780, and the great 
profits which from the exigencies of 
those periods had arisen to the adven¬ 
turers who ran the hazard of a voyage 
with provisions for our relief, were by 
this time pretty generally known at 
home. The favourable opportunity of 
a safe convoy under the British fleet, 
prompted, therefore, many masters of 
transports, some of whom had been in 
the garrison before, during the war, to 
lay in a stock of various articles, with 
the prospect that the distresses of their 
friends might afford these truly hu¬ 
mane and generous patriots an occasion 
to sell them, on their arrival, at their 
own price. Although these supplies 
were most highly acceptable, yet the 




1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


153 


garrison was not at this time in such 
absolute need of their assistance, as to 
purchase them at those enormous prices 
which before had been given with plea¬ 
sure ; nor in justice did we think, from 
the little risk the adventurers ran, that 
they deserved such immense profits. 
A committee of officers from every 
corps assembled on the 23rd, to con¬ 
sider what measures to pursue in order 
to prevent such impositions in future; 
and, as every article brought to the 
garrison was sold at public auction, it 
was unanimously agreed, that a cer¬ 
tain price should be fixed upon each 
article, allowing such profit as might 
reasonably be thought adequate to the 
hazard; and, when the estimate was 
published, every officer, I believe, 
pledged his honour not to exceed the 
terms therein specified. (See App.) 

The prudent and manly regulation of 
the committee was strictly attended to 
for about a fortnight, but it had not 
that immediate effect we expected; 
many of our generous countrymen, ra¬ 
ther than dispose of their ventures for 
a profit Of 150, and in some instances 
300 per cent., very liberally determined 
not to land them, but to sell them for a 
trifling advantage at Lisbon, or else¬ 
where, in their way home. We should 
nevertheless have soon got the better 
of their obstinacy had we continued 
determined and consistent ourselves; 
but some individuals who preferred 
self-gratification to the public good, 
beginning to evade the agreement, the 
whole was cancelled and the demands 
of the adventurers became afterwards 
as exorbitant, if not more so than be¬ 
fore. So little dependence is there 
upon the adherence of a multitude to 
any sumptuary regulations, however 
essential to their real interest. 

The mortar-boats, on the night of 
the 23rd, paid us a visit, and did con¬ 
siderable damage. Their shells were 
chiefly directed towards the New 
mole. The Hector cutter, in govern¬ 
ment service, was sunk by a shell, and 
everything on board lost. Several other 
vessels narrowly escaped the same fate. 
We fired upon them from Willis’s and 
the Old mole; but their gun-boats 
were silent. The 24th, we observed 


that the enemy had struck the tents of 
four or five battalions, and two regi¬ 
ments were seen this day marching 
along the beach. The day following 
some baggage was observed removing 
from the Duke’s quarters; which gave 
us great hopes that his Grace was pre¬ 
paring to leave the camp, and that mat¬ 
ters were verging towards a conclusion. 
In the evening a deserter came in, a 
native Catalonian. He informed us 
there had been an engagement between 
the British and combined fleets, but 
could give us no particulars. He fur¬ 
ther told us that their camp was break¬ 
ing up: 16 battalions had already 
marched away, and others were prepar¬ 
ing to decamp: that they had ceased 
to work in their approaches; and that 
their night-guards consisted of 4000 
men, under the command of two bri¬ 
gadier-generals : concluding with ac¬ 
quainting us, that the winter camp 
before the garrison was to consist of 
20,000 men : that additional gun-boats 
were building to constantly harass 
us; and that a corporal and 12 men 
were stationed in the gardens to pre¬ 
vent desertion. The 26th, the tents oc¬ 
cupied by the Duke’s corps encamped 
before Buena Vista were struck; which 
served to increase our hopes, that the 
prospect was not far distant of an end 
to our fatigues. Don Juan Moreno left 
the garrison the same day, with a flag 
of truce. Our boat could not learn any 
further account of the engagement; but 
the officers were informed, that a gene¬ 
ral peace was expected, as the inde¬ 
pendence of America had been acknow¬ 
ledged by Great Britain. 

More battalions left the enemy’s 
camp on the 27th: their cannonade 
nevertheless was continued, and seve¬ 
ral shot ranged as far as the entrance 
of Windmill-hill; a distance of about 
5000 yards. Their camp was still de¬ 
creasing on the 28th and 29th; and 
we judged from our observations, that 
about 23 battalions, with a brigade of 
artillery, had marched into the coun¬ 
try. The last deserters said many had 
taken their route to Cadiz. The 30th, 
we observed the enemy had stationed a 
guard under the rock near the Devil’s 
tower. They were taken some notice 




154 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VIII. 


of by our artillery, who endeavoured to 
annoy them with small projectiles from 
the summit of the northern front. The 
Tisiphone, Captain Sandys, with five 
or six ordnance-ships (having 160 Jews 
on board), sailed for England early in 
the morning of the 31st. The same day, 
a soldier of the 97th regiment was killed 
at Rosia, by a long-range shot from 
the isthmus. This shot must have 
ranged more than two miles and a 
half. 

Three deserters came in on the 2nd 
and 4th of November, but could give 
no satisfactory information relative to 
the action between the fleets. They 
said the French troops had quitted the 
camp with the Royal volunteers. The 
enemy’s camp continued to break up 
on the 7th and 8th; though some of 
the regiments, it was imagined, took 
possession of the large building east¬ 
ward of Point Mala, which had been 
built for a hospital. On the 7th, two 
men-of-war and a sloop (supposed to be 
French, from the West Indies) passed 
to the eastward. The Spanish gun¬ 
boats seemed to suspect they were ene¬ 
mies, and intended to come in; as they 
were in motion, and appeared to be 
preparing for an attack. The 8th, 23 
gun-boats paraded at a short distance 
from the garrison, extending in a line 
a-head to the southward. We expected 
an attack upon the St. Michael; but, 
an easterly wind springing up, they re¬ 
turned. They had. scarcely got back, 
when a signal was made at Cabrita 
Point, and they again put about. Our 
attention was engaged by this manoeu¬ 
vre ; and, upon investigating the cause, 
we discovered a sloop standing toward 
the garrison from the eastward. If 
this vessel had continued the course she 
then steered, she might undoubtedly 
have reached the rock: whether, how¬ 
ever, it was owing to the westerly cur¬ 
rent off Europa, or the ignorance of 
the crew, we could not determine; in 
the course of an hour she drove so 
considerably to leeward as to be out 
of the protection of our guns, and, after 
receiving several discharges of round 
and grape from the gun-boats, was 
boarded by the enemy. Sir Charles 
Knowles, Bart, (who since Captain Cur¬ 


tis’s departure commanded in the bay), 
ordered several barges out to her as¬ 
sistance, but to no purpose. A boat, 
with five of her crew, escaped to the 
garrison, and informed us she was 
laden with sugar and tea from Fal¬ 
mouth. Soon afterwards a Danish 
dogger was brought to an anchor in 
the bay, by a gun from Europa: she 
was laden with rice and pilchards from 
England. A flag of truce on the 9th 
went with a letter to the Duke; and, in 
the evening, another brought over En¬ 
sign Lewis, of the 58th regiment, with 
a quarter-master and a volunteer of the 
25th, who had been taken in the Mi¬ 
nerva brig, with the baggage, &c., of 
the 25th and 59th regiments. This 
flag also brought over other prisoners. 
By these gentlemen, we learned that 
an engagement had taken place between 
Lord Howe and Admiral Cordova, and 
that the latter was returned into port 
with his fleet much shattered. 

After the departure of the fleets, 
little attention was paid by the enemy 
to the blockade. Not one cruiser was 
now to be seen in the Straits or to the 
eastward, and few vessels of force were 
stationed at Cabrita Point. The idea 
of gaining Gibraltar, either by force or 
stratagem, seemed at length to be to¬ 
tally relinquished. Their cannonade 
from the land nevertheless was conti¬ 
nued ; but, as it gradually diminished, 
and scarce exceeded at this time 250 
rounds in the 24 hours, we imagined 
it would in a short time totally cease. 
The St Philip’s Castle, and several 
ordnance-ships, had left the bay the 
evening of the 8th; and, on the 10th 
and 12th, two light vessels came to Al- 
geziras, which, from their appearance, 
were thought to be of the latter.. On 
the 12 th, a flag of truce went with a 
letter to the Duke. Whilst it was out 
the enemy’s gun-boats commenced a 
smart cannonade upon the St. Michael 
(which was now refitted), whilst their 
mortar-boats bombarded our camp. 
We returned their fire, and two of the 
mortar-boats retired very early, the 
others following them in about an hour. 
Three or four shot were fired through 
the St. Michael, but no other damage 
was received. Our flag returned just 





1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


155 


as the cannonade ceased. As it ap¬ 
peared probable that the enemy might 
renew their attacks upon the prize, Co¬ 
lonel Williams, who commanded the 
artillery, ordered more mortars to be 
distributed along the sea-line, from the 
King’s bastion to the New mole fort. 
The 15th, a regiment quitted their 
camp; and at night their workmen 
raised about 20 traverses in the rear of 
their advanced boyau, extending from 
the parallel about half the length of the 
work. Our fire at this period was va¬ 
riable. The day following, between 
20 and 30 transports, with troops on 
board, sailed under convoy of two fri¬ 
gates for the westward. Their artillery 
also about this time removed most of 
the ordnance from their park to the 
landing place, where we numbered 
80 cannon and 5 mortars, with a 
great quantity of shot and shells ready 
for embarkation. The 17th, a xebeque 
and several armed vessels and gun¬ 
boats anchored at Cabrita Point, as if 
they had determined to renew the block¬ 
ade. Three days after, all the Spanish 
prisoners taken in the St. Michael (ex¬ 
cepting a few who chose to remain be¬ 
hind) were sent to the camp. The 
Spanish officers, on this occasion, in¬ 
formed us that there had been an en¬ 
gagement between the British and 
combined fleets, which had ended to 
the advantage of the former. In the 
evening of the 20th, a party of about 
100 men were seen to go from the east¬ 
ern part of the enemy’s parallel to the 
back of the rock. We could not at 
that time account for the marching of 
these troops. The small craft conti¬ 
nued at Cabrita Point; the men-of-war 
and larger vessels being at anchor off 
the Orange-grove. Four sail of the line 
and three frigates, beside xebeques, &c., 
were now in the bay. The enemy, on 
the 21st and 22nd, embarked a vast 
quantity of powder from their grand 
magazine on board the men-of-war. 
Most of the spare ordnance had already 
been shipped on board, and others were 
removing daily toward the beach. 

Two boats arrived on the 23rd from 
Portugal: they brought certain intelli¬ 
gence of the preceding action between 
the fleets. The particulars of this in¬ 


telligence were, that a partial action 
had taken place between the British of 
34 ships, and the combined fleets of 46 
ships of the line; that, though the lat¬ 
ter had the weather-gage, they stu¬ 
diously avoided a close engagement; 
and, after a cannonade of several hours, 
hauled their wind and directed their 
course to Cadiz. The same day Lieu¬ 
tenant John M'Kenzie, of the 73rd, was 
dangerously wounded at Willis’s. The 
enemy’s fire now scarcely exceeded 150 
rounds. Two more boats got in from 
Faro the night of the 26th. Our suc¬ 
cess in obtaining these welcome sup¬ 
plies rendered the enemy more vigilant 
and active to intercept them. Every 
boat, even friends, which approached 
the rock, raised their suspicion. 

Though every appearance in their 
camp indicated that they had given up 
all hopes of subduing the garrison by 
force, their parties on the isthmus con¬ 
tinued to be very busy, and some even¬ 
ings they made additions of traverses 
to their works. Heavy timber was also 
brought forward to the parallel, but 
for what purpose we could not then 
imagine. Their advanced parties had 
likewise the audacity frequently to ap¬ 
proach half-way upon the causeway 
from Bay-side; but, the artillery hav¬ 
ing orders to scour the gardens, and 
the neighbourhood of Bay-side, with 
grape from the Old mole, their curi¬ 
osity in a short time was pretty well 
cooled. Toward the close of this month, 
the enemy’s fire became more faint and 
ill directed, whilst ours was more ani¬ 
mated and effectual. Our engineers 
continued to be constantly engaged. 
The rebuilding of the whole flank of 
the Prince of Orange’s bastion, 120 
feet in length, with solid masonry 
(which was now nearly finished), in 
the face of such powerful artillery, can 
scarcely be paralleled in any siege. 

In the beginning of December, the 
Achilles ordnance ship, with two or 
three boats, arrived from England and 
Portugal. The 6th, a Venetian ship 
was driven by the current under the 
guns of Europa. We fired to bring 
her to, and the master instantly came 
ashore and informed us she was bound 
to London; but, before he could re- 






156 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. Till. 


turn, his vessel was boarded by three 
gun-boats, which towed her to Alge- 
ziras. The master then came into the 
garrison, and at night was permitted to 
follow his vessel. The following even¬ 
ing a German deserted to us from the 
Walon guards. He informed us that 
the enemy stationed every evening a 
guard of 300 men near the Devil’s 
tower, where they had miners at work 
in a cave, hoping to form a mine to 
blow up the north part of the rock. We 
paid no kind of attention at first to this 
intelligence, so ridiculous and even 
chimerical the scheme appeared. Re¬ 
collecting, however, that a party had 
been observed to march that way some 
evenings before, and remarking, upon 
a closer inspection, that every evening 
a numerous body of men approached 
along the eastern shore toward that 
quarter, we began to give some credit 
to this singular information.* The 
above deserter also informed us that 
the enemy had removed some ordnance 
from the parallel, but that their guards 
and advanced parties were still very 
strong. 

By this period, our. engineers had 
penetrated a considerable distance in 
the gallery above Farringdon’s battery, 
and had opened 5 embrasures to the 
front of the rock; and, to have a more 
secure communication to this singular 
work, a covered way was sunk, by 
blasting the rock from the above-men¬ 
tioned battery to the entrance of the 
gallery. The success with which this 
work had been prosecuted, and the 
considerable advantages which pro¬ 
mised to result from it when finished, 
induced the governor to order that a 
similar battery, but only for 2 guns, 
should be made in the rock near 
Crouchett's battery, above the Prince 
of Hesse’s bastion; and the workmen 
had now made some advances therein. 
On the 12th, a guard-boat of the St. 

! Michael, with 2 officers and 7 sailors, 
went over to the enemy. We after¬ 


* In 1727, the besiegers formed the design 
of blowing up Willis’s batteries by a mine; 
but it is imagined they found it impracticable, 
as they never attempted to spring the mine, 
though the Journal of that Siege mentions it 
was loaded. 


wards learned from the officers, who 
returned in a flag of truce, that the 
sailors rose upon them, saying they 
were resolved to go over to the enemy: 
that Lieut. Small, who commanded the 
boat, drew his hanger, and attempted a 
stroke at the man who was spokesman 
upon the occasion; but that he was 
knocked down by the coxswain with 
the tiller of the rudder: that, whilst 
he was thus senseless, they had it in 
debate to throw him overboard; but, 
by the intercession of the young mid¬ 
shipman, he was preserved, and, when 
taken ashore, was some time before he 
recovered. 

The enemy’s parties under the rock, 
near the Devil’s tower, began now to 
engage our curiosity. Every part of 
the north front was explored, to en¬ 
deavour, if possible, to discover what 
they were about. At length, on the 
15th, a place was found above Green’s 
lodge, whence we could distinguish a 
part of their work. The communica¬ 
tion with this post, being along a level 
beach, was greatly exposed to our fire. 
When their parties were discovered 
advancing from the east flank of the 
64-gun battery, our artillery at Willis’s 
and on the heights prepared to salute 
them. They were permitted to ap¬ 
proach unmolested within 200 or 300 
yards, when a general volley was dis¬ 
charged of cohorn-shells, with grape, 
seconded by the mortars on the Levant 
battery, loaded with hand-shells, or 
grenades, quilted together. A chance , 
or mine, was sometimes sprung upon 
them from the top, when they had 
nearly got under the rock; the stones 
from which added not a little to their 
confusion and loss. Notwithstanding 
that they were in this manner obliged 
every evening to pass the gantelope of 
our fire, they continued to bring ma¬ 
terials, and maintained their post with 
surprising obstinacy. Some of the 
guard were seen frequently, in the day, 
to advance from their cover: a party 
of Corsicans, who hitherto had done no 
other duty than guard the prisoners on 
Windmill-hill, were ordered therefore 
to the post above Green’s lodge, to fire 
wall-pieces upon those that appeared 
from below. 






1782.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


157 


A flag of truce went from the gar¬ 
rison on the 17th. The Spanish aide- 
de-camp informed us that preliminaries 
of a general peace were expected to be 
signed in the course of the month. The 
succeeding day another flag went from 
the governor with letters to the Duke: 
it had scarcely returned, when 29 gun 
and mortar boats commenced a spirited 
attack upon the St. Michael, and other 
ships, at anchor off Buena Vista. 
Since these boats had made a custom 
of firing upon the garrison, we never 
remarked them to be arranged with 
more judgment, or to behave with 
greater gallantry, than they did on this 
occasion. The mortar-boats composed 
the centre division, and a division of 
gun-boats was arranged on each flank; 
their line of battle extending about 2 
miles. They got their distance the 
first round, and retained it with such 
precision, that almost every shell fell 
within 50 yards of the St. Michael, 
which was the chief object of their 
attack. The 74th shell fell on board, 
about mid-ship; pierced the first, and 
broke on the lower deck; killed 4, and 
wounded 11 sailors, 3 of them mor¬ 
tally. After this accident, Sir Charles 
Knowles, being apprehensive of the 
most fatal consequences if a shell 
should fall into the magazine, removed 
the powder, through the opposite port¬ 
holes, into a launch, which was imme¬ 
diately towed under the rock : 80 bar¬ 
rels, which could not be removed, 
were thrown into the sea. The enemy 
still maintained a warm fire, but, it is 
imagined, did not observe that any had 
fallen on board the ship. Several 
shells carried away ornaments and 
parts of her rigging: fortunately how¬ 
ever she received no further injury. 
Not one shell came ashore from the 
boats. Captain Gibson, at the com¬ 
mencement of the action, rowed out 
w r ith 8 gun-boats from the New mole, 
and very warmly attacked their north¬ 
ern division. On his appearing in 
motion, 3 parapet boats advanced from 
the Orange-grove to take our boats in 
flank. One of this number was how¬ 
ever soon disabled by the garrison, and 
the other two joined the main body. 
When the enemy had expended their 


ammunition, the mortar-boats retired, 
and the gun-boats covered their retreat 
in a most beautiful manner. They 
stood towards the Orange-grove, and 
embarked some of their crews on board 
the men-of-war. Three of the line-of- 
battle ships, two frigates, and a xebeque, 
with several b6mb-ketches, and other 
vessels, which were all laden with mi¬ 
litary stores, sailed to the westward. 
The enemy’s land batteries, as is men¬ 
tioned before, were gradually diminish¬ 
ing in their fire; but, upon this occa¬ 
sion, they supported the boats from 
the bay with a very animated addi¬ 
tional cannonade. 

The remainder of the enemy’s ships, 
laden with military stores, sailed on the 
night of the 19th from the Orange- 
grove to the westward. The wind 
continued easterly; and, on the suc¬ 
ceeding night, or rather the morning 
of the 21st, blew so strong a gale, that 
the St. Michael was driven from her 
anchors more than half-bay over: 
every exertion was made to recover 
her station, but all proved ineffectual; 
when fortunately an eddy-wind brought 
her about, and Sir Charles Knowles 
was happy to run her aground within 
the New mole on a sand-bank south of 
the tank. The gale was so powerful 
on Windmill-hill, that the tents of the 
59th regiment were tom from the 
pickets, and carried a considerable dis¬ 
tance from the camp-ground. To ob¬ 
viate the like disagreeable circum¬ 
stances in future, that regiment was 
removed to encamp in Southport ditch, 
opposite Sydow’s (formerly Harden- 
berg’s) regiment. This arrangement 
obliged the town-parade to be changed; 
and the guards afterwards assembled 
on the Red sands, which continues at 
this time to be the general parade. In 
the course of the day, the St. Michael 
was warped into deep water, and 
moored in the New mole. At night a 
deserter came in: he informed us that 
the enemy had 20 miners at work near 
the Devil’s tower, protected by a 
strong guard; that we annoyed their 
communication with that post very 
much, and every evening killed and 
wounded many men. In consequence 
of this intelligence, cur fire toward 




HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. viii. 


158 


that quarter was increased. A flag of 
truce, on the 20th, had informed us 
that the women belonging to the 25th 
and 59th regiments were at the enemy’s 
camp, waiting more moderate weather, 
to be sent by water into the garrison. 
The 22nd, they were received; but, 
upon their landing, they were con¬ 
ducted to the Naval hospital, where 
some few of them were detained by 
the faculty as exceptionable. Lieut. 
Small, of the navy, came over on the 
23rd, in a flag of truce. He told us 
the enemy’s small craft had materially 
suffered from the storm which had so 
greatly endangered the St. Michael. 
The Due de Crillon, the day follow¬ 
ing, visited the parallel, and was pre¬ 
sent in the western boyau, whilst an 
engineer picketed out a work at the 
extremity of it, near the beach. At 
intervals, we could now distinctly hear 
the explosion of the mines in the 
enemy’s cave or gallery at the Devil’s 
tower. Few men were however to be 
seen in that neighbourhood; though at 
night they continued the reliefs, and 
brought materials as usual. 

In the afternoon of the 25th, being 
Christmas-day, we observed the gun 
and mortar boats in motion, and, about 
four o’clock, 18 of the former and 11 of 
the latter advanced from Algeziras, ap¬ 
parently with an intention of renewing 
their attack upon the unfortunate St. 
Michael; but, 11 of our gun-boats, un¬ 
der the personal orders of Sir Charles 
Knowles, opposing them, the centre di¬ 
vision of mortar-boats, and the south¬ 
ward division, stood toward Europa, and 
began a warm bombardment upon our 
camp; throwing their shells indiscrimi¬ 
nately from Windmill-hill to South 
shed. Our gun-boats in this action be¬ 
haved with great gallantry, directing 
their opposition entirely against the 
mortar-boats; the fire of which they in 
a great measure diverted from the ship¬ 
ping. A blind shell nevertheless fell 
into the ward-room of the St. Michael; 
and another shell carried away the 
mizen-mast of the Porcupine frigate, 
and burst in the state cabin. Seven or 
eight shells fell within the hospital-wall: 
one exploded in a ward, and killed and 
wounded several of the sick. Several 


houses and sheds were also destroyed, 
and others considerably injured. In 
short, it was thought to be the warmest 
attack we had ever experienced from 
the gun-boats; and our men, being 
mostly in spirits after their Christmas 
dinner, were consequently less upon 
their guard. One was killed, and seven 
were wounded, in the camp. As our 
artillery had time to prepare, the ene¬ 
my’s cannonade was returned with 
great vivacity; but the mortar-boats 
and southward division had taken so 
judicious a station, that few ordnance 
could be brought to bear upon them. 
We had nevertheless some reason to 
conclude their loss was superior to our 
own. Their land batteries (with the 
addition of Fort St. Philip and the 
Black battery, which had been silent 
some time) upon this occasion, as upon 
the last, increased their fire upon the 
town. We therefore had the enemy 
upon our whole front, from Europa 
Point to Landport. At a quarter past 
six o’clock the mortar-boats retired, 
and were covered in their retreat by 
the gun-boats, as before.* This dis¬ 
honourable and cruel mode of prose¬ 
cuting the war, we had reason to think, 
would be continued till a peace should 
put an end to all hostilities. The ene¬ 
my had been very industrious in im¬ 
pressing this pleasing information on 
the memories of the women who had 
been lately detained by the weather in 
their camp. They were told, for their 
comfort, that, as the besieging army 
had been reluctantly compelled to re 
linquish the idea of recovering Gibral¬ 
tar, they were determined to harass 
and alarm the garrison by successive 
attacks from the gun and mortar boats. 


* It was during this attack that the mate¬ 
rials from which this work is compiled were 
in the most imminent danger of being entirely 
destroyed.—A 13-inch shell from the enemy’s 
mortar boats, falling above the camp guard, 
rolled along the road leading from Buena 
Vista and entered the author’s marquee, 
brushing the pillow of his bed, and lodging 
closely under the corner of the bedstead ; 
though lighted when it entered, and though 
its force must have been greatly spent in the 
ricochets before it entered, the fuse luckily 
broke as it lodged within, and the marquee, 
with its contents, by that fortunate circum¬ 
stance was preserved. 





1783.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


159 


•which, for the purpose of having regu¬ 
lar reliefs, were to be increased in num¬ 
ber : thus, by being exposed to a re¬ 
vengeful enemy, the prospect before 
us promised to be more irksome and 
vexatious than the more interesting 
period which had passed. 

Although the enemy’s fire from the 
isthmus was almost discontinued, the 
governor, towards the conclusion of 
December, made up for their deficiency 
by a more animated discharge than 
usual: every night the whole north 
front appeared a continued line of fire. 
The Devil’s tower chiefly engaged his 
attention: their guard at this post was 
generally relieved about seven or eight 
o’clock in the evening, if not prevented 
by our fire. The work of sand-bags, 
which we could see from one spot, was 
totally destroyed; and the sloping tim¬ 
bers which they had placed against the 
rock to protect them from the over¬ 
head fire, were much shattered by the 
weighty fragments of rock which were 
hurled upon them from above. The 
night of the 27th, the enemy opened 
three embrasures in the epaulment at 
the east end of the 64-gun battery. The 
embrasures were then masked, and, the 
succeeding evening, were faced with 
fascines. The night of the 29th, they 
raised a work of sand-bags, of about 
100 feet in extent, at the western ex¬ 
tremity of the new boyau. It was 
picketed out when the Duke was pre¬ 
sent, and extended to the rear at right 
angles with the epaulment. The 30th, 
19 gun and mortar boats came out of 
the river Palmones, where they gene¬ 
rally retired to repair, after firing upon 
the garrison. The evening of the suc¬ 
ceeding day being very calm, and some 
movements being observed amongst 
them, we expected they would com¬ 
mence the new year with another visit: 
but we were happily disappointed. 
Since we were sufficiently persuaded of 
the conduct which the enemy had de¬ 
termined to pursue for the remainder 
of the war, the governor again adopted 
the idea of retaliation: the gun mounted 
on Colonel Williamson’s elevated car¬ 
riage was removed to the Old mole 
head, and other preparations were made 
to annoy their camp, when the boats 


should renew their attack. In the 
course of December several vessels and 
boats arrived with stores and supplies. 
Others likewise left the bay, and flags 
of truce frequently passed between the 
governor and the Duke. Their purport 
was not, however publicly known. 

The last day of December, a party 
of the navy fished up one of the guns 
from the wreck of the battering-ships } 
and the following day, the 1st of Ja¬ 
nuary, 1783, the gun, which was of iron 
and a 26-pounder, was drawn in pro¬ 
cession by the British tars, with a Spa¬ 
nish ensign, which had been taken 
from on board one of the ships, dis¬ 
played over it, and attended by a band 
of music, playing “God save the 
King.” * 

Our observations made upon the 
enemy’s proceedings at the Devil’s 
tower were as yet very unsatisfactory, 
though, by the enterprising activity of 
a serjeant in the artificers, we knew 
that they were in reality at work in a 
cave: for he had descended, by means 
of ropes and ladders, so low down the 
face of the rock as to see the mouth of 
the cave, and hear the people converse. 
Early, therefore, on the morning of 
the 4th, three of the governor’s staff 
went in a barge, protected by two gun¬ 
boats, to reconnoitre this post. Their 
curiosity prompted them to approach 
nearer than was perhaps prudent, as 
the gu^rd fired musketry upon them, 
and a gun- or two were discharged from 
Fort Barbara. Soon after they returned, 
the new 3-gun battery, at the east end 
of the 64-gun battery, was unmasked, 
though the guns were under metal. In 
the afternoon of the same day, the gun 
and mortar boats advanced in two divi¬ 
sions from Algeziras, and, when half¬ 
bay over, were joined by a third divi¬ 
sion of five from Cabrita Point, consist¬ 
ing in all of thirty-three. The centre 
division of sixteen, principally mortar- 


* Many more of these guns were afterwards 
recovered from the wrecks; and most of them, 
being of brass, were sold; the produce of the 
sales, and other moneys arising from the head- 
money granted by Parliament for the batter¬ 
ing-ships, and the sale of the St, Michael prize, 
were proportioned in shares to the garrison 
and marine brigade.—See Appendix. 






160 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. vixt. 


boats, was warmly attacked by Sir 
Charles Knowles, with eleven of ours, 
whilst the northern division was as 
briskly annoyed from the King’s bas¬ 
tion. This division of twelve gun-boats 
had the boldness tc approach within 
the range of grape, and suffered very 
considerably. One was Undoubtedly 
sunk by a howitzer shell, and others 
were greatly damaged. Two of the 
mortar-boats were also driven from 
the line, and several others were ob¬ 
served to be in confusion. The land- 
batteries, which had been silent since 
the Duke had visited the lines on the 
2nd of January, seconded the attack by 
sea with a very animated fire. The bay 
being calm, and little wind blowing to 
carry off the smoke, the appearance of 
this attack altogether, from the extent 
of the front engaged, was tremendous. 
Lieutenant Holloway, of the engineers, 
aide-de-camp to General Green, was 
wounded by a splinter of a shell, which 
fell opposite to General de la Motte’s 
quarters at the southward, where the 
staff at the southward usually assem¬ 
bled upon these occasions. Two men 
were killed, and one wounded, in the 
garrison; but the seamen had no ca¬ 
sualties. The St. Michael also on this 
occasion escaped; and it was remarked 
not one shell fell near the hospital. 
When the boats had expended 83 shot 
and 206 shells, they retired: from the 
isthmus 578 shot and 102 shells were 
discharged in this short period. 

When our artillery had put the bat¬ 
teries in order, a party was detached, 
about eight in the evening, to the Old 
m&e; and upward of 100 rounds of 
red-hot shot, with large and small 
shells, were thrown into the enemy’s 
camp: all appeared to answer, except 
the heavy shells, the fuses of which 
were in general too short for the range. 
The following morning, several pieces 
of a gun-boat, an oar, with some bread, 
garlic, &c., were seen floating in the bay, 
and gathered by our boats. This served 
to strengthen our conjecture of the pre¬ 
ceding evening, that one of their gun¬ 
boats had been sunk in the action. In 
the evening, about nine o’clock, our 
northern guards were surprised with a 
sudden discharge of musketry on the 


causeway, and in the neighbourhood of 
Bay-side: it was immediately returned 
from Landport and the lines, with a 
few rounds of grape from Covert-port 
battery; after which there was a dead 
silence. The next morning a bloody 
hat, with several shot-holes through it, 
was taken up near Bay-side. We could 
not otherwise account for this firing 
than by supposing that some of the 
enemy, attempting to desert, had been 
observed and pursued. One or two of 
our own men in the Fleche were 
wounded by the scattered grape-shot 
from the Covert-port battery. 

The evening of the 9th, the enemy 
paraded with only 23 boats, seemingly 
with an intention of renewing their at¬ 
tack upon the shipping and garrison; 
but Sir Charles appearing with his 
small force, his opponents thought 
proper to retire. We were however 
alarmed, early the next morning, by 
their firing upon the garrison: they 
approached very cautiously, and di¬ 
rected their fire towards the New mole. 
Sir Charles Knowles had his boats soon 
manned; but had not been long out 
before one of them was unfortunately 
sunk by a splinter from one of our own 
shells which burst in the air. The 
crew were instantly taken up by their 
friends, and the boat towed in. The 
land batteries opened as before, and 
continued firing until the ‘boats re¬ 
treated. Our shipping received no 
damage, nor were any seamen hurt; 
but in the garrison we had 1 killed 
and 15 or 16 wounded, beside a Jew, 
an inhabitant. One of their shells fell 
into the north pavilion of the South 
barracks, and burst upon the second 
floor: the officers were luckily out; 
for the rooms, above and below, were 
totally destroyed. When the smoke 
had sufficiently dispersed, we numbered 
38 boats, but (as their sterns were to¬ 
wards us) could not distinguish how 
many carried mortars. The governor 
saluted their camp in the evening from 
the Old mole. A boat arrived on the 
11th from Faro, with dispatches to the 
governor. The Brilliant frigate was 
ordered soon afterwards to be pre¬ 
pared for sea. 

The enemy’s cannonade from the 




1783.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


161 


land, except when the gun-boats fired, 
was at this time so trifling that it 
scarcely deserved the name of a con¬ 
tinuation. Our engineers were there¬ 
fore employed in repairing the curtain 
of the Grand battery, the north face 
and flank of Montague’s bastion, with 
the adjoining curtain ; and, though the 
men were much exposed in this duty, 
the enemy seldom if ever molested 
them. Their parties continued bring¬ 
ing various materials from the parallel 
to the post at the Devil’s tower. We 
never allowed them to pass, or even 
appear, without a tremendous volley 
of shells and grape, and fragments of 
stones discharged from the summit of 
the rock. But our artillery were not 
solely engaged with the enemy in this 
quarter; every annoyance that could 
"be devised was directed against them 
in all quarters. The ordnance, since 
the arrival of the last dispatches from 
Faro, were kept in as quick action as 
the metal would permit. A party of 
Corsicans were also stationed in the 
lines to punish their patroles, who fre¬ 
quently had the audacity to approach 
within a few yards of the extremity. 
The evenings of the 18th and 19th, the 
enemy played off a number of rockets 
and other fireworks at Algeziras, ac¬ 
companied with several discharges of 
cannon. They likewise saluted us 
from the lines with a volley of shells, 
and 21 rounds of shot. We could not 
divine the cause of these rejoicings. 
On the 25th some sparks of fire com¬ 
municating to aft ammunition box at 
Middle-hill guard, the contents blew 
up, and carried away great part of the 
wall and guard-house, bruising and 
burning several of the guard. The 
engineers were immediately ordered to 
repair the breach, and not quit the post 
till the works were in their original 
state. A reinforcement of a subal¬ 
tern from the line, with a drum and 
21 rank and file, was ordered likewise 
to join that guard every evening; and 
other regulations relative to it were 
established. 

On the 29th Lieut. Angelo Raffaeli, 
of the Corsican company, was slightly 
wounded in the lines. In the evening, 
the gun and mortar boats, in number , 


28, fired upon our shipping and the 
camp. They took their stations off Eu- 
ropa and Rosia, apparently determined 
to avoid the fire from the King’s bas¬ 
tion (which they had found so fatal to 
these enterprises), and directed their 
fire principally against the Brilliant 
frigate, which was then at anchor off 
Buena Vista, and the St. Michael in the 
New mole. Their land batteries opened 
at the same time, directing a furious 
cannonade into the town, and along 
our northern front. The garrison re¬ 
turned their fire with great vivacity, 
though not with their usual success. 
Our gun-boats were also unfortunate, 
one of them being damaged very early 
in the action, and obliged to be towed in. 
We had 3 men killed, and 11 wounded; 
6 of whom were of the 59th regiment. 
The enemy discharged from their boats 
236 shot and 225 shells; and from the 
isthmus, 555 shot and 245 shells; after 
which, the former retired, and the lat¬ 
ter were silent. The next day 4 gun¬ 
boats fired upon the Brilliant, en pas¬ 
sant, but soon retired. At night, a 
soldier of the artillery, who had been 
punished some time before, threw him¬ 
self down the precipice from the 
Queen’s battery at Willis’s : he passed 
so quickly by the men on duty, that he 
was scarcely seen; and was not known 
till he was missing the next morning. 
In the course of the month, one of the 
25th regiment deserted, and another of 
the 58th (who had been entertained 
from the number that remained behind 
of the prisoners who were taken in the 
battering-ships) was retaken in attempt¬ 
ing to get away. Two boats came in 
also from Faro, and a third was inter¬ 
cepted in her passage. 

February was introduced by an ani¬ 
mated fire from the garrison. Every 
part of the enemy’s works felt the 
effects of our artillery. Thus affairs 
were proceeding, when, on the 2nd, 
letters from the Due de Crillon in¬ 
formed the governor that the preli¬ 
minaries of a general peace had been 
signed between Great Britain, France, 
and Spain. When the boats met, the 
Spaniards rose up with transports of 
joy, and cried out, “ We are all friends 
delivering the letters with the greatest 

M 




162 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. viii. 


apparent satisfaction. They could not 
inform us what were the terms of the 
peace; which occasioned some anxiety 
in the garrison relative to the fate 
of Gibraltar. Previously to the boats 
meeting, the enemy discharged about 
30 rounds, but never, after the letters 
were delivered, fired upon the garrison. 
Our artillery also ceased in the even¬ 
ing. The Spaniards, the succeeding 
day, advanced from their works, and 
conversed with our sentries in the lines, 
expressing their satisfaction that we 
were no longer enemies. This inter¬ 
course was, however, forbidden by the 
governor, who ordered the guards to 
inform those who approached our works 
that all correspondence of this nature 
was to be suspended, till official ac¬ 
counts were received from England of 
the peace. General Eliott answered 
the Duke’s letter on the 3rd, and or¬ 
dered the captain of artillery to fire an 
elevated shot, from Willis’s, over any 
parties which might pass between their 
parallel and the Devil’s tower. The 
Duke, on the 5th, informed the governor 
that the blockade by sea was discon¬ 
tinued; in consequence of which, a 
placard was published in the garrison, 
signifying that the port of Gibraltar 
was again open. About noon, an ele¬ 
vated gun was wantonly fired over 
their works, which was the last shot 
fired in this siege. 

This return of tranquillity, this pro¬ 
spect of plenty, and relief from the 
daily vexations of so tedious a siege, 
could not fail to diffuse a general joy 
throughout the garrison. Indeed such 
feelings are seldom experienced; they 
baffle all attempts to describe them: 
far beyond the pleasure resulting from 
private instances of success or good for¬ 
tune, ours was a social happiness; and 
the benevolent sentiments acted upon 
the heart with additional energy, on 
the prospect of meeting those as friends 
with whom we had been so long en¬ 
gaged in a succession of hostilities. 

The Duke, on the 6th, informed the 
governor that the preliminaries had 
been signed the 20th of January at 
Paris, and that Gibraltar was to remain 
in the possession of Great Britain. 
From this period, operations on both 


sides were suspended; each party anx¬ 
iously waiting official accounts from 
England of the peace. Toward the 
close of the month, the Duke began 
to withdraw some of the ordnance from 
the advanced batteries, and to remove 
materials from the parallel to the 
camp. The garrison, on the other 
hand, were employed in making re¬ 
pairs, and in arranging various matters, 
which could not before be attended to. 
Several ships, and a number of boats, 
arrived from England and Portugal; 
so that provisions became every day 
more abundant, and consequently the 
prices of articles more moderate. 

In the beginning of March, a schooner 
arrived from Barbary, with a letter ac¬ 
companying a present of bullocks for 
the governor. We were ignorant of 
the contents of the letter: but, it was 
imagined, the subject was to request a 
renewal of our friendship. Two officers 
and 24 Corsicans, who in their passage 
to Gibraltar had been chased ashore on 
the coast of Barbary by the Spaniards, 
arrived also in this boat. The former 
informed us, that, upon the commence¬ 
ment of the attack of the batterings 
ships on the preceding 13th of Septem¬ 
ber, the Moors at Tangier repaired to 
their mosques, imploring Heaven in 
behalf of their old allies; and that, on 
receiving accounts of the defeat of the 
enemy, they made public rejoicing, and 
gave every demonstration of their af¬ 
fection for the English nation. 

When the cessation of hostilities took 
place, parleys were almost daily passing 
between the governor and the Duke ; 
and the Spanish aides-de-camp never 
omitted expressing their surprise that 
the governor had not yet heard from 
England. Their patience as well as 
ours was nearly exhausted, when the 
long-expected frigate arrived on the 
10th of March: but, for some time, 
even when she had got into the bay, 
she kept us in suspense, by steering 
close along the Spanish shore, and 
showing no colours. At length, how¬ 
ever, the British ensign was displayed, 
and the anxious garrison saluted her 
with a general huzza. She was the 
Thetis frigate, Capt. Blankett; and, 
soon after she anchored, Sir Roger 




1783 .] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


163 


Curtis (who had been knighted for his 
conduct on the 14th of September) 
landed with dispatches for the governor. 
The Due de Crillon sent a parley to 
the garrison in the evening, which was 
answered the succeeding day. The 
subject of this correspondence probably 
was to appoint an interview between 
the generals, as, on the 12th, his Grace, 
attended by his suite, came down to the 
extremity of the western boyau, and 
sent an aide-de-camp to inform the go¬ 
vernor he was arrived. General Eliott, 
attended by Lieut. Koehler, his aide- 
de-camp, soon afterwards rode out by 
Lower Forbes’s, and was met by the 
Duke on the beach, half-way between 
the works and Bay-side barrier. Both 
generals instantly dismounted and em¬ 
braced. When the common salutations 
were over, they conversed about half an 
hour, and then returned to their re¬ 
spective commands. The cannon in 
the Spanish batteries were now all dis¬ 
mounted ; and large parties were daily 
removing them, with ammunition, also 
various materials, from their post at 
the Devil’s tower to the lines and 
camp. As their guards were now con¬ 
siderably diminished, numbers of de¬ 
serters were daily coming over to the 
garrison. They were principally fo¬ 
reigners ; and the reason they gave was 
a dislike to the Spanish service. 

The Duke, on the 18th, sent the go¬ 
vernor a present of a grey Andalusian 
horse. The 22nd, the St. Michael 
man-of-war sailed for England, where 
she happily arrived safe. The day 
following, the governor, accompanied 
by General Green, the chief engineer, 
with their aides-de-camp, met the 
Duke in the Spanish works: they were 
conducted by his Grace through the 
whole, and afterwards to the cave at 
the Devil’s tower. The governor 
dined with the Duke at San Roque, 
and returned in the evening. The 31st, 
the Due de Crillon, accompanied by 
the Marquis de Say a, Prince de Maza- 
rano, Counts de Jama'ique and de Se- 

rano, Don -, the intendant, and 

Capt. Tendon, returned the visit. The 
governor received his Grace near 
Forbes’s ; and on entering the garrison, 
a salute was fired of 17 pieces of cannon 


from the Grand battery. When the 
Duke appeared within the walls, the 
soldiers saluted him with a general 
huzza; which being unexpected by his 
Grace, it was said greatly confused 
him. The reason however being ex¬ 
plained, he seemed highly pleased with 
the old English custom; and, as he 
passed up the main street, where the 
ruinous and desolate appearance of the 
town attracted a good deal of his obser¬ 
vation, his Grace behaved with great 
affability. 

The officers of the garrison were in¬ 
troduced by corps to the Duke, at the 
convent. When the artillery were 
mentioned, he received them in the 
most flattering manner: “ Gentlemen,” 
said his Grace, addressing himself to 
them, “ I would rather see you here as 
friends, than on your batteries as ene¬ 
mies, where,” added he, “you never 
spared me.” The Duke afterwards 
visited the batteries on the heights. At 
Willis’s he made some remarks on the 
formidable appearance of the lower de¬ 
fences ; observing, whilst he pointed to¬ 
wards the Old mole battery, that, “ had 
not his opinion been overruled, he 
should have directed all his efforts 
against that part of the garrison.” The 
good state of our batteries in so short a 
period produced some compliments to 
the chief engineer; and, when con¬ 
ducted into the gallery above Farring- 
don’s battery,* his Grace was particu¬ 
larly astonished, especially when he 
was informed of its extent, which at 
that time was between 500 and 600 feet. 
Turning to his suite, after exploring 
the extremity, “ These works,” he ex¬ 
claimed, “ are worthy of the Romans.” 
After dinner (at which were present 
the generals and brigadiers in the gar¬ 
rison, with their suites), he passed 
through the camp to Europa, each re¬ 
giment turning out without arms, and 
giving three cheers. The youth and 
good appearance of the troops much en¬ 
gaged his attention. When his cu¬ 
riosity was gratified in that quarter, he 
returned, and was conducted about 8 
o’clock without Landport, being sa¬ 
luted with 17 cannon on his departure. 


* Now called Windsor. 

M 2 










164 


HISTORY OF THE 


[chap. VIII. 


His horse startled at the flash of the 
guns, and almost, if not entirely, un¬ 
horsed him; but he escaped without 
being hurt. The Duke, in the course 
of the conversation at dinner, paid 
many handsome compliments to the 
governor and garrison for their noble 
defence. “ He had exerted himself (he 
said) to the utmost of his abilities; and, 
though he had not been successful, yet 
he was happy in having his sovereign’s 
approbation of his conduct.” 

Before the Due de Crillon entered 
the garrison, the Comte de Ruffigniac, 
colonel in the French service (who, the 
reader may remember, was very press¬ 
ing for admittance into the garrison 
some few days after the defeat of the 
battering-ships, and who, for the sole 
purpose of seeing the place, had re¬ 
mained behind his brigade), was ad¬ 
mitted into the garrison without the 
Duke’s knowledge; and, being in the 
fieche at Landport when the Duke was 
approaching from Forbes’s, his Grace 
could not avoid seeing him. As he 
had entered without the Duke’s per¬ 
mission, his Grace requested he might 
not see him at the convent; and the 
Count, being informed of this, with¬ 
drew into the garrison, apparently much 
chagrined at the Duke’s particularity. 
When his Grace returned, it was said, 
orders were given not to permit the 
Count to go back by way of the lines. 
The following evening, however, after 
satisfying his curiosity in the garrison, 
he returned. 

The 2nd of April the Due de Crillon 
quitted the camp to repair to Madrid. 
He was succeeded in command by 
Lieut.-General the Marquis de Saya., or 
Zaya, who had accompanied his Grace 
into the garrison, and (what was very 
singular) had served as an officer at the 
preceding siege of Gibraltar in 1727. 
Deserters still continued coming over 
to us, and the Spaniards were employed 
in removing materials from the neutral 
ground to the lines. Letters often 
passed between the Marquis and Ge¬ 
neral Eliott; but, though the latter 
requested to pay his compliments at 
San Roque, the etiquette observed by 
the former (orders having been re¬ 
ceived from Madrid to prevent all in¬ 


tercourse) would not for some time 
permit him to receive the governor. 
The 15th of April Sir Roger Curtis 
sailed in the Brilliant frigate on an 
embassy to the Emperor of Morocco : 
he took with him, as a present, four 
brass 26-pounders (which had been 
weighed from the wreck of the batter¬ 
ing-ships), with proportionable ammu¬ 
nition. 

His Majesty having been pleased to 
confer upon the governor the Most 
Honourable Order of the Bath,* as a 
mark of his royal approbation for the 
defence of Gibraltar; and having sig¬ 
nified his pleasure by Sir Roger Curtis, 
that Lieut.-General Boyd should act as 
his Majesty’s representative in invest¬ 
ing General Eliott with the insignia of 
the order, which ceremony was to be 
performed in as splendid and mag¬ 
nificent a manner as the state of the 
garrison would permit; the engineers, 
soon after the arrival of the Thetis, 
began to erect a colonnade upon the 
rampart of the King’s bastion, that the 
honours might be conferred where the 
victory was gained. By the 23rd of 
April (St. George’s day) the colonnade 
was finished; and, every preparation 
for the ceremony being completed, the 
governor commenced by communicat¬ 
ing to the troops the thanks of their 
king and country for their defence of 
Gibraltar. Detachments from all the 
regiments and corps, with all the officers 
not on duty, were assembled in three 
lines on the Red sands at eight o’clock 
in the morning; and the governor 
taking post in the centre of the second 
line, and the usual compliments being 

* This was not the only honour conferred 
on the General for his services in defending 
Gibraltar. Parliament voted him a handsome 
pension for life; and his sovereign, on his 
return to Britain in 1787. gave him an ad¬ 
ditional mark of his approbation by raising 
him to the British peerage, by the style and 
title of Lord Heathfield, Baron Heathfield of 
Gibraltar, with the honourable distinction of 
bearing, in chief, with his own arms, the arms 
of the garrison. General Boyd was also 
honoured with the Order of the Bath, and 
General Green distinguished by a baronetcy. 
After General Eliott's elevation to the peerage 
he was never employed on active service; 
and a short time afterwards he was attacked 
with paralysis, of which he died, at his re¬ 
sidence near Aix la-Chapelle, aged 72. 





1783.] 


SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 


165 


paid, his Excellency addressed himself I 
to the garrison as follows:— 

“ Gentlemen—I have assembled you 
this day, in order that the officers and 
soldiers may receive, in the most public 
manner, an authentic declaration trans¬ 
mitted to me by the secretary of state, 
expressing the high sense his Majesty 
entertains of your meritorious conduct 
in defence of this garrison. The King’s 
satisfaction upon this event was soon 
divulged to all the world, by his most 
gracious speech to both houses of Par¬ 
liament. The House of Lords and the 
House of Commons not only made the 
suitable professions in their addresses 
to the throne, but have severally en¬ 
joined me to communicate their una¬ 
nimous thanks by the following resolu¬ 
tions :— 

‘ Die Veneris, 13 Decembris, 1782. 

* Resolved, nemine dissentiente, 
by the Lords spiritual and 
temporal, in Parliament as¬ 
sembled, that this House doth 
highly approve and acknow¬ 
ledge the services of the offi¬ 
cers, soldiers, and sailors, 
lately employed in the de¬ 
fence of Gibraltar; and that 
General Eliott do signify the 
same to them.’ 

* Die Jovis, 12 Decembris, 1782. 

‘ Resolved, nemine contradicente, 
that the thanks of this House 
[Commons] be given to Lieut- 
General Boyd, Major-General 
de la Motte, Major-General 
Green, chief engineer; to Sir 
Roger Curtis, Knt., and to the 
officers, soldiers, and sailors, 
lately employed in the de¬ 
fence of Gibraltar.’ ” 

The governor then proceeded:— 
“ No army has ever been rewarded by 
higher national honours: and it is well 
known how great, universal, and spon¬ 
taneous were the rejoicings throughout 
the kingdom upon the news of your 
success. These must not only give you 
inexpressible pleasure, but afford matter 
of triumph to your dearest friends and 
latest posterity. As a farther proof 
how just your title is to such flattering 
distinctions at home, rest assured, from 


undoubted authority, that the nations 
in Europe and other parts are struck 
with admiration of your gallant beha¬ 
viour : even our late resolute and de¬ 
termined antagonists do not scruple to 
bestow the commendations due to such 
valour and perseverance. 

“ I now most warmly congratulate you 
on these united and brilliant testimonies 
of approbation, amidst such numerous, 
such exalted tokens of applause: and 
forgive me, faithful companions, if I 
humbly crave your acceptance of my 
grateful acknowledgments. I only 
presume to ask this favour, as having 
been a constant witness of your cheer¬ 
ful submission to the greatest hardships, 
your matchless spirit and exertions, and 
on all occasions your heroic contempt 
of every danger.” 

A grand feu-de-joie was then fired 
by the line, each discharge commenc¬ 
ing with a royal salute of 21 guns. 
Three cheers closed the ceremony. 
The commander-in-chief, general and 
field officers, afterwards withdrew; and 
the detachments (formed two deep) 
marched into town, and lined the 
streets leading from the convent, by 
the Spanish church and Grand parade, 
to the King’s bastion. About half¬ 
past eleven o’clock, the procession be¬ 
gan to move in the following order: 
all uncovered, and two deep, except 
the troops under arms. 

Marshal. 

Music, 12th Regiment, 

Playing 

“ See the conquering Hero comes.” 

Artillery. 

Quarter-Master-General, and 
Adjutant-General, Town-Major, 
and Deputy ; 

With other Staff of the Garrison. 

First Division of Field Officers, 
Youngest first. 

Music 58th Regiment. 

The Commissioner’s Secretary, 
Bearing on a crimson velvet cushion 
The Commission. 

The Commissioner’s Aides-de-Camp. 

Lieut. General Boyd, the 

King’s Commissioner. 

The Governor’s Secretary, 
Bearing, on a crimson velvet cushion, 





166 


HISTORY OF THE SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR, [chap. viix. 


The Insignia 
Of the Order of the Bath. 

The Governor’s Aides-de Camp, 
as Esquires. 

GENERAL ELIOTT, 

The Knight Elect ; 
Supported by Generals De la Motte 
and Green. 

Aides-de-camp to the Major-Generals. 
Major-General Picton. 

His Aide-de-camp. 

The Brigadier-Generals, eldest first. 
Their Brigade Majors. 

Music, De la Motte’s. 

Second Division of Field Officers, 
Eldest first. 

Music, 56th Regiment. 

The Grenadiers of the Garrison. 

No compliment was paid to the 
knight elect; but, as the commissioner 
passed, each regiment, with the officers, 
saluted. When the procession arrived 
at the colonnade, the general and 
field officers placed themselves on each 
side of the throne; the artillery 
formed under the colonnade, and the 
grenadiers fronting the bastion, along 
the line-wall. The proper reverences 
being made to the vacant throne, the 
commissioner desired his secretary to 
read the commission: which being 
done, he addressed the knight elect in 
a short complimentary speech, taking 
the riband at the conclusion, and plac¬ 
ing it over the governor’s shoulder, 
who inclined a little for that purpose: 
three reverences were then a second 
time made, and each took his seat on a 
crimson velvet chair on each side of 
the throne, the commissioner sitting on 
the right hand. The governor was no 
sooner invested than the music struck 
up “ God save the King.” The grena¬ 
diers fired a volley, and a grand dis¬ 
charge of 160 pieces of cannon was 
fired from the sea-line. The proces¬ 
sion then passed forward through the 
colonnade, and returned in the same 
order. The detachments were after¬ 
wards dismissed, and each non-com¬ 
missioned officer and private received 
a *pound of fresh beef and a quart of 
wine. The generals, with their suites, 
and the field-officers, dined at the con¬ 
vent. In the evening the colonnade 


was illuminated with different-coloured 
lamps, and transparent paintings in the 
back scene: and Sir George Augustus 
Eliott, with the lieutenant-governor 
and principal officers of the garrison, 
assembling at the King’s bastion about 
nine o’clock, there was a display of 
fire-works from the North and South 
bastions, and the Spanish church; the 
principal of which were fired from the 
latter, being opposite to the company. 

Thus, in festivity and with honour, 
ended the labours of the garrison of 
Gibraltar. During a period of three 
years, seven months, and twelve days 
(that is from the commencement of the 
blockade to the cessation of arms), we 
had experienced a continued series of 
watchfulness and fatigue, the horrors 
of famine, and every harassing and 
vexatious mode of attack which a 
powerful, obstinate, and revengeful 
enemy could devise. On reviewing 
the transactions of this period, two cir¬ 
cumstances cannot fail to strike the 
attentive reader; viz. the very slow 
manner in which the enemy proceeded 
in their early operations, and the im¬ 
possibility of maintaining so strict a 
blockade as to prevent all communi¬ 
cation by sea. To evince these, and 
other circumstances not unimportant 
to military readers, I have been re¬ 
duced to greater accuracy and mi¬ 
nuteness than ordinary historians are 
obliged to observe; and instead of the 
acuteness of investigation, or a splendid 
sententiousness, I have been necessi¬ 
tated to pursue the narrative, almost 
uninterruptedly, in the tedious form of 
a journal. I have not presumed to in¬ 
tersperse many animadversions of my 
own: the only merit to which I can 
lay any claim, is that of a faithful nar¬ 
ration of facts; and I confess I would 
at any time rather walk in the beaten 
track of truth, than mislead the judg¬ 
ment of my readers in the wilds of 
fancy and conjecture. 

A return of casualties is annexed, 
also the expenditure of ammunition, 
both by the enemy and the garrison. 
These papers, as well as the estimate 
of provisions, I thought better to throw 
into the form of an Appendix,than to in¬ 
terrupt the narrative by their insertion. 




167 


APPENDIX. 


ETAT GE'NE'RAL DE L’ARME'E ESPAGNOLE ET FRAN^OISE 
EMPLOYE'E AU SIE'GE DE GIBRALTAR, 

SOUS LES ORDRES DE SON EXCELLENCE LE DUC DE CRILLON. 


E'TAT MAJOR DE L’ARME'E ESPAGNOLE. 

GE'NE'RAL EN CHEF LE CAPITAINE-GE'NE'RAL DUC DE CRILLON. 


Lieutenans-Generaux. 

D’Abarca, 

Commandant-General des 
lngenieurs. 

Le Comte de Lascy, 
Commandant-General de 
l’Artillerie. 

De Habor. 

Le Comte de Revillagigedo. 
Le Marquis de Casagagigal. 


Marechaux de Camp. Brigadiers. 

Le Marquis de Zayas dTiaut-Regard, De Garcia de 
Commandant des Gardes Wal- la Mora, 
lones. D’Allenes. 

De Tilly, Colonel d’Artillerie. D’Horces. 

De Teller, Commandt. des Gardes De Betcliart. 

Espagnoles. D’lmperioli. 

D’Oliver, Major-General de l’ln- 
fanterie. De Guevara. 

Le Marquis de Mont-Hermoso, De Tirrel. 

Major General de la Cavalerie et 
Dragons. 

De Pachecho. 

Le Marquis de Branceforte. 

De Roca. 

Le Marquis de Torremansana. 


INFANTERIE. 


Le Marquis 
d’Avilles. 

De Caro. 

De Gourales. 

De Lancaster. 

De Castel 
d’Oseius. 

Le Prince de 
M ontfort. 

De Moya. 

Le Marquis de 
Valparaiso. 

De Nova Cer- 
rada. 

De Pachecho 
Giron. 

D’Estacharia. 


De Galazar. 

De Gersale. 
Druhat. 

De Vedia. 

Le Comte de 
Bussy. 

De GutierreT. 
Le Baron de 
Steiuborg. 

De Moron. 

De Pinto. 

De Font. 

De Totosa. 

De Sangro. 

De Servino. 

De Colona. 

Le Due de 
Montellano. 

De Pignatelli. 
Le Marquis 
d’Alos. 


Regimens. 

Bataillons. 1 

s ® 

c-5 

SPg 

P. z 
So 

C SJ 

Compagnies 
de Fusiliers. 

T> 

E 

C 

'c 

0 

'o 

3 

.O 

Majors. 

| Ajudans. 

Porte- 

Drapeaux. 

| Capitaines. 

Premiers 

Lieutenans. 

Second Lieuts. 

Sous-Lieuts. 

j Sergens. 

Caporaux, 

I Tambours et 

1 Fifres. 

Soldats. 

Total de Bas- 
Ofticiers et 
Soldats. 

Gardes Espagnoles . 

4 

4 

24 



1 

8 


28 

28 

28 

28 

168 

448 

112 

2184 

2912 

Gardes Wallones 

4 

4 

24 



1 

8 

# 

28 

28 

28 

28 

168 

448 

112 

2184 

2912 

Sabova .... 

1 

1 

8 


1 

# 

1 

2 

9 

9 

• 

9 

26 

71 

20 

572 

689 

Cordova .... 

1 

1 

8 

# 

1 

. 

1 

2 

9 

9 


9 

26 

71 

19 

572 

688 

Burgos .... 

2 

2 

16 

1 

1 

1 

2 

4 

18 

18 

# 

18 

52 

142 

39 

1144 

13/7 

Murcia .... 

2 

2 

16 

1 

1 

1 

2 

4 

18 

18 


18 

52 

142 

39 

1144 

1377 

Altonia .... 

1 

1 

8 

1 

# 

1 

1 

2 

9 

9 

# 

9 

26 

71 

20 

572 

689 

Volontaires d’Aragon 

1 


6 

. 

1 

1 

1 

2 

6 

6 

• 

6 

18 

36 

9 

324 

337 

ler. Reg. de Catalogue 

2 


12 

1 

1 

1 

2 

4 

12 

12 

• 

12 

36 

72 

17 

1680 

1803 

La Princessa 

1 

1 

8 

• 

1 

• 

1 

2 

9 

9 

# 

9 

26 

71 

19 

572 

688 

Naples .... 

2 

2 

16 

1 

1 

1 

2 

4 

18 

18 

. 

18 

52 

142 

39 

1144 

1377 

Betchart . , . . 

Compge. deGrenadiers 

0 

2 

8 

1 

1 

1 

2 


10 

10 

8 

10 

48 

64 

25 

1054 

1191 

2 

22 







22 

22 

• 

22 

44 

120 

22 

1152 

1338 

Cavalerie demontee 

2 

20 

# 

1 

1 

1 

2 

4 

20 

20 

4 

20 

40 

120 

27 

1160 

1347 

Dragons do. 

2 

22 







22 

2^ 

• 

22 

• 

• 

• 

. 

• 

Grenads. Proyinciaux 

6 

60 

# 

3 

3 

9 

6 

, 

60 

60 

. 

60 

120 

360 

60 

3960 

4509 

Artillerie . . . 













60 

131 

24 

1126 

1341 

Volontaires de Crillon 


















Total Infanterie . 

35 

144 

154 

10 

13 

19 

39 

30 

298 

298 

64 

298 

962 

2509 

612 

20544 

24627 












































168 


APPENDIX 


CAVALERIE ET DRAGONS. 


Regimens. 

Escadrons. 

to 

fm 

<0 a> 

e 1c 
es ij 

gi 

0 4) 

O s 

Compagntes 

de Fusiliers.’ 

Colonels. 

<r! 

§ 

1 

t 

Majors. 

C 

X 

V 

< 

X 

CC 

• a. 

* 3* 

u X 

o Jr 

— O 

Capitaines. 

Premiers 

Lieutenans. 

Second Lieuts. 

to 

V 

12 

1 

to 

3 

O 

C/3 

/ 

S 

4> 

CjC 

u 

<v 

C/3 

Caporaux. 

V 

J9 

3 

0 . 

£ rf. 

St 

Soldots. 

Is 

fi) CO • 

-3 f) 

■=11 
■*-» iC 

I® 0 
rOW 

Du Roi . . . 

1 


3 


l 



1 

2 

3 

• 

3 

6 

12 

2 

108 

128 

De la Reitie . 

l 

1 

3 

i 


1 

1 

1 

4 

4 

• 

4 

8 

16 

3 

156 

183 

Du Prince . . 

1 

1 

3 

1 


1 

1 

1 

4 

4 

• 

4 

8 

16 

3 

156 

183 

De Bourbon . 

2 

1 

4 

1 


1 

1 

2 

7 

7 

• 

7 

14 

28 

5 

164 

311 

De Farnese . . 

1 

1 

3 

2 

1 



1 

3 

4 

• 

4 

8 

16 

3 

156 

183 

D’Alcantara . 

1 


3 

1 

. 

1 

1 

1 

3 

3 


3 

6 

12 

2 

108 

128 

D'Algarves . 

1 


3 

2 

, 

1 

1 

1 

3 

3 

# 

3 

6 

12 

2 

108 

128 

De Calatrava . . 

1 


3 

• 

i 



1 

2 

3 


3 

6 

12 

2 

108 

123 

De San lago 

1 


3 

• 

1 



1 

2 

3 

# 

3 

6 

12 

2 

108 

128 

De Mendoza . . 

1 

1- 

3 


1 


1 

1 

3 

4 

# 

4 

8 

14 

3 

156 

18.3 

De Volontaires . 

1 


3 



1 

1 

1 

2 

3 


3 

6 

12 

2 

108 

129 

De Pavie, Dragons 

2 

1 

6 

3 

1 

1 

1 

2 

6 

1 

# 

7 

14 

28 

10 

264 

316 

De Lusitania 

2 

1 

G 

1 

1 

• 

1 

2 

6 

1 

• 

7 

14 

28 

7 

2 60 

316 

Total Cavalerie, &c. 

16 

7 

58 

12 

7 

7 

9 

16 

47 

43 

a 

55 

no 

220 

46 

2064 

2440 

Do. Infanterie . 

35 

144 

154 

10 

13 

19 

39 

30 

298 

298 

64 

298 

962 

2509 

6i2 

20544 

24627 

Total general 

51 

151 

202 

22 

20 

26 

48 

46 

.345 

341 

64 

358 

1072 

2729 

658 

22608 

2'0«7 


E'TAT MAJOR DES TROUPES FRANCOISES. 
BARON FALKENSTEIN, COMMANDANT EN CHEF. 


LE MARQUIS DE BOUZOLZ, COMMANDANT EN SECOND. 


Etat Major. 

Le Marquis de Crillon, Briga¬ 
dier. 

De Portal, Major-General. 

Le Baron F. le ^ 

Fort ( Aides Maj.* 

Le Baron C. le I Generaux. 
Fort J 


i 


Aides de-Camp. 

Du Baron Falckenstein :— 

Le Comte de JSesle de 
Fourette. 

Le Cliev. de Grave. 

Le Chev. de Vault. 

Le Chev. de Ponce?. 

Le Comte d’Argoult. 

Le Comte de P< rigord. 

Le Comte de Lost. 

Le Marquis de Laillebot. 

Du M. de Bouzolz:— 

Le Marquis de Travanec. 

Le Chev. d’Oraison. 

Le Marquis de Montaigu. 

De Wildemonth \ Capitaines 
De Meuuier 5 en second. 
Officiers chargee du detail de 
la Tranchee. 


Brigade Franeoise. 

. [Le Vte. de Veneur, 
.2 I Malt re de Camp, Col. 
g § J Le Marquis de Guerchv, 
£ 5 1 ditto en second, 
jtc >> I Dubourg, Lieut.-Col. 
[De Cappy, Major. 

^ c Le Comte de Crillon, 
u £ I Mailre de Camp, Col. 
c ~ I Le Vidame de Nasse, 
e .5 < ditto en second. 

•r f £ Le Chev. de St. Roman, 
I Lieut. Col. 

?De Portal, Major. 
Artillerie. 


Brigade Allemande. 

.2 , Le Comt. E. de Sparre, 
g.§ M.-de-C., Col. 

g'-JLe Baron d’Hamilton, 
S M.-de.-C. en second. 
p§ ►. D. O. Conell, Lt.-Col. 

pj iD'Orsner, Major. 

® r Le Baron de Wimpffen, 
^ s M.-de C., Col. 
g ^ I Le Baron de Nivenheim, 
& J ditto en second. 

Trjg De Peyrier, Lieut.-Col. 
fS I O’Ghier, Major. 

Genie. 


De Goenand, Lieut.-Col.-Com- 
mandant. 

De Barras, Capitaine, aide-Maj. 
D Artan \ n . 

Gromar de Quinton \ Ca l )tnes - 
D’Hemeryl T . , 

Cadmau ' $ Lieuts.en premier. 


- en second. 


Le Ch-d*Alphonse 
De Marten 

Fournier } au troisi " me * 
Hommes, 130. 

Le Marq. de Puissegur, Capi¬ 
taine, avec brev.de Colonel. 


D’Arfon, Colonel. 
Doria, Major. 

De l’Hillier 
De Bonleman 
D’Assign y 
De Samis 
Damoiseau 
D’Aumont 


| Capitaines. 
j- Lieutenans. 


Administration. 

Intendant de Rouissiere. Monmergue. Tnspecteur 7 y. 
Commissaire de Boileau. Demange, Directeur y vi ' rp 3' 
Commissaire du Demaine. 


Brochel, Directeur j 
Chaumel, Sous- ides Postes. 
Directeur. 


Thion, Premier Medecin. •> 

Bodners, Cltirurgien >H 6 pital. 

Massol, second do. j 


































































APPENDIX. 


169 


Regimens. 

D’Officiers 

superieurs. 

D’Hommes 

Brigade C De Lvonnois . • 

. 65 

1,024 

Framboise \ De Bretagne . . 

. 65 

1,016 

Brigade (Royal Suedois . 

. 65 

1,000 

Allemande \ De Bouillon . 

. 52 

1,025 

Total Francois .... 

. 247 

4,055 

Espagnol • • • • • 

. 1669 

27,067 

Grand total ..... 

. 1916 

31,122 


33,028 Officiers et d’hommes. 

II v avoit un Corps d’Ingenienrs anx ordres de M. d’Abarca. compose de 8 Ingenieurs en 
Chef, ]12 en second, 11 oidinaires, 14 extraordinaires, 12 Ajudans. Une Compaguie de Mare- 
chaussee, de 40 Cavaliers, aux ordres d’uu Lieut. Ilya une Compagnie de Cadets, dont le Capi- 
taine est un Colonel. Les Compagnies de Sapeurs out chacune un Capitaiue, un Lieutenant, uu 
Sous-Lieutenant. 


A GENERAL RETURN OF CASUALTIES. 



Killed. 


Dead 


Disabled 

Wounded, 

but 

recovered. 


Dead 

De- 


of Wounds. 

by Wounds. 

by Sickness. 

serted. 





6 




O 








o' 




o 





e 

o 

E 



A 

a 




£ 

O 

£ 



CO 

u 

o 

s 



- 

O 

E 

Rank 


CO 

2 

s 

is 

co 

fi 

£ 

=8 

CO- 

to 

£ 


CO 

CO 

£ 

=8 

CO 

co 

£ 

<8 

A 

REGIMENTS. 

O 

g 

£ 

o 

2 

£ 

1 

a 

O 

o 

E 

.cu 

2 

£ 

a 

C3 

o 

o 

£ 

2 

£ 

r* 

a 

a 

V 

s 

2 

£ 

g 

% 

Zi 

o 

E 

.2 

2 

£ 

3 

a 

as 

File. 


o 

c h 

C 

« 

o 


C 

pH 

O 

W 

1° 

* 

1- 

in 

Q 

« 

o 

c h 

o 

& 


Roval Artillery . 

o 

i 

0 

20 

t) 

0 

0 

8 

0 

2 

0 

ii 

8 

o 

1 

105 

‘ 1 

i 

0 

34 

1 

12th Regiment . 

1 

3 

1 

13 

0 

0 

0 

10 

1 

0 

0 

10 

2 

4 

7 

89 

0 

3 

0 

32 

3 

25th „ 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

7 

1 

0 

0 

13 

1 

39th 

1 

3 

1 

16 

1 

1 

0 

6 

0 

0 

0 

10 

3 

5 

1 

44 

0 

1 

0 

37 

5 

56 th 

0 

0 

0 

17 

0 

1 

0 

9 

1 

0 

0 

6 

3 

2 

0 

59 

1 

4 

1 

34 

3 

5Sth ,, . 

1 

1 

0 

11 

0 

1 

0 

5 

0 

0 

1 

8 

2 

2 

2 

61 

0 

1 

1 

53 

11 

59th ,, 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

0 

6 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

0 

7 

0 

0 

0 

33 

0 

72nd 

0 

2 

0 

31 

0 

2 

0 

21 

0 

1 

1 

21 

3 

11 

5 

109 

0 

1 

0 

47 

9 

73nl 

0 

0 

0 

30 

0 

1 

0 

13 

1 

5 

0 

31 

5 

2 

0 

77 

0 

0 

0 

58 

2 

91 th ,, 

0 

0 

0 

7 

0 

0 

1 

5 

0 

1 

0 

4 

0 

3 

1 

33 

1 

6 

0 

106 

1 

Reden’s Regiment 

0 

2 

0 

7 

0 

0 

1 

5 

0 

1 

0 

4 

1 

i 

1 

33 

1 

1 

0 

16 

1 

De la Motte’s . . 
Sydow’s, for-1 

0 

3 

0 

16 

0 

0 

0 

6 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

42 

69 

2 

2 

0 

10 

1 

merlv liar- > 

0 

2 

0 

18 

0 

0 

0 

6 

2 

0 

6 

1 

7 

2 

0 

0 

0 

7 

5 

den Derg’s . . 1 



















. 



Soldier-Artificer ) 

0 

i 

0 

6 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

7 

2 

3 

0 

30 

0 

0 

0 

23 

0 

Company . 1 




0 



0 

0 

0 



1 

0 

8 


0 



Marine Brigade . 

0 

i 

0 

’ 2 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Corsican Comp. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Total . . 

5 

19 

2 

197 

1 

6 

2 

101 

3 

13 

2 

120 

31 

46 

20 

773 

’1 

22 

2 

505 

43 


ABSTRACT OF THE TOTAL LOSS OF THE GARRISON. 

Killed, and dead of wounds ....... 333 

Disabled by wounds (discharged).138 

Dead of sickness, exclusive of those who died of the scurvy in 

1779 and 1780 ........ 536 

Discharged, from incurable complaints.181 

Deserted ....'. . 43 

Total.1231 
































































170 


EXPENDITURE OF AMMUNITION FROM THE GARRISON AND 
BY THE ENEMY. 


GARRISON. 

ENEMY. 

Commencing 

the 12th of September, 1779, 

and 

Commencing 

the 12th of April, 1781, and 

ending 

the 3rd of February, 1J83. 


ending 

the 2nd of February, 

1 

7 bo. 






. 

. 


Agreeable to the La- 


MONTHS. 

Shot. 

Shells. 

Grape. 

Car- 

L ! ght 

bails. 

MONTHS. 


boratory Accounts. 

# 





• 


Shot. 

Shells. 




1779. 









• • 


Sept. 12 to 30 . 

1767 

201 

# « 


• • 



• • 

• • 


October . . . 

372 

1116 

1 

• • 

6 



• • 

• • 


November . . 

57 

183 

5 


, , 



• * 

• • 


December . . 

82 

63 

6 

• • 

4 




• • 


1780. 








• • 

• • 


January . . 

83 

131 

38 

• • 







February . 

9 

6 

3 

• • 

• • 




• • 


March . . . 

17 

7 

3 



a 

0 


• • 

• • 


April . . . 

6 

• • 

• • 

. . 



• • 

• • 


May . . . 

8 


6 

• • 




• • 

• • 


June . . . 

123 


• • 



6 


• • 

• • 


July . . . 

246 


• • 


. • 

O 

<3 


• • 

• • 


August . . . 

56 


• • 

• • 

• • 

w 


• * 

• • 


September. . 

6 


v • 

• • 

. . 



• • 

• • 


October. . 

85 

243 

73 

1 

160 



• • 

• • 


November . 

771 

6004 

510 

63 

64 



• • 

• « 


December . . 

160 

4242 

250 

79 

54 



• • 

• • 


1781. 







• • 

• • 


January . . 

33 

875 

63 

22 

8 



• • 

• • 


February . . 

32 

346 

76 

9 

• • 



• • 

• • 


March . . . 

23 

221 

17 

13 

• • 

1781. 


• • 

• • • 


April . . . 

May . . . 

2672 

804 

2494 

2782 

26 

23 

2 

6 

• • 

• • 

April 12 to 
May 31 . 

} 

56760 

20134 

Computed. 

June . . . 

828 

2250 

104 

35 

3 

June . . 


8799 

2643 


July . . . 

428 

761 

51 

13 

5 

July . . 


3036 

698 


August. . . 

130 

172 

103 

5U 

2 

August . 


1350 

184 


September . 

2614 

6228 

213 

58 

42 

September. 


9320 

760 


October 

1722 

11515 

64 

19 

53 

October . 


15754 

2750 


November . . 

509 

3587 

82 

33 

5 

November . 


2430 

1120 


December . . 

632 

7119 

139 

60 

44 

December . 


3378 

1010 


1782. 






1782. 




January 

722 

11052 

132 

60 

23 

January . 


4342 

1012 


February . 

2617 

7295 

177 

21 

19 

February . 


3046 

566 


March . . 

3657 

10362 

733 

56 

45 

March . 


5828 

1313 


April . . 

2314 

2768 

370 

# , 

• • 

April . . 


3541 

938 


May . . . 

2315 

1669 

352 

. . 

14 

May . . 


2418 

856 


June . . . 

2052 

178 

263 

1 

8 

June . . 


2190 

653 


July . . . 

228 

37 

100 

# # 

13 

July . . 


# 0 

• • 


August . . . 

5441 

1781 

1047 

3 

48 

August . . 


750 

30 

] 

Computed 

September. . 

13557 

3262 

479 

215 

• • 

September . 


36432 

16993 


exclusive 

October 

2604 

6881 

735 

12 

14 

October 


11312 

10673 


W the bat- 

November . 

1937 

5701 

1157 

74 

17 

November . 


2897 

3243 


te ring- 
ships. 

December . 

2596 

12159 

1422 

26 

3 

December . 


1036 

1958 

J 

cc 

CO 






1783. 





January . . 

2640 

14176 

3444 

42 

25 

January . 


1067 

680 


February . 

210 

1047 

414 

• • 

•• 

February . 


55 

144 


Total . . 

57163 

129151 

12681 

926 

679 

Total . 

• 

175741 

68363 



Total . . . . 

British gun-boats 


200,600 rounds. 
4,728 shot. 


Total 


odA inAf roun ds, all of a 
' ^' Iipjw nature.. 


heavy nature. 
Spanish gun-boats 14,283 shot and shells. 


205,328 


258,387 

The garrison expended very near 8000 barrels of powder; and the Dumber of ordnance damaged and destroyed 
during the siege amounted to 53. 

The number of barrels of powder expended by the enemy could never be ascertained, nor what ordnance wet 
destroyed. 






















































171 


t 


An Estimate of the Prices fixed upon Provisions hy a Committee of Officers, at 
Gibraltar, October the 23rd, 1782. To which is annexed the price of 
various articles, as they were sold at different Periods of the Blockade 
and Siege. 

The sums are turned into sterling, at the average exchange of 3s. 3d. the dollar; though the 
Garrison exchange fluctuated between 3s. 4 d. and 3s. 6 d. 


PRICKS LIMITED BY THE COMMITTEE. 


PRICES DURINO THE BLOCKADE. 


Fresh beef, veal, aud mutton, per lb. 

Pork, ditto. 

Ducks and fowls, per couple . . 

A goose . 

A turkey. 

A pair of pigeons ...... 

Corned beef, per lb. 

Corned pork, ditto. 

Ham, ditto. 

Bacon and dried tongues, ditto 

Cheese, ditto. 

Salt butter, ditto. 


An egg ..... 

Pickled tripe, per lb. 

Potatoes, ditto 
Loaf sugar, ditto . . . 

Powder sugar, ditto . • 

Best green tea, ditto .. . 

Bohea or Souchong, ditto 
Coffee, ditto .... 

Flour, ditto .... 

Mould candles, ditto . . . 

Common, ditto .... 

A hogshead of porter . 

Bottled porter (with bottles), per 
A hogshead of port wine 
Port wine (with bottles), per doz 
Good common wine, per gallon 
Inferior ditto, ditto 
Claret (with bottles), per dozen 

Best fish, per lb. 

Inferior kind, ditto ... 
8mall fry, ditto .... 


doz. 


£. 

s. 

d. 

0 

2 

6 

0 

1 

3 

0 

9 

9 

0 

11 

0 

0 

14 

7* 

0 

3 

3 

0 

1 

3 

0 

0 

10 

0 

1 

10* 

0 

1 

3 

0 

1 

3 

0 

1 

10* 

0 

0 

2* 

0 

1 

3 

0 

0 

7* 

0 

2 

6 

0 

o 

1 

1 

1 

11* 

0 

13 

0 

0 

1 

10* 

0 

0 

7* 

0 

1 

0* 

0 

0 

10 

5 

13 

9* 

0 

14 

7* 

24 

7 

6 

1 

12 

5* 

0 

4 

11 

0 

3 

8 

1 

17 

4* 

0 

1 

3 

0 

0 

10 

0 

0 

7i 


£. 

s. 

d. 


£. 

s. d. 

. ... . From 0 

2 

1 

to 

0 

4 ll* 

. . ... From 0 

2 

1 

t * 

0 

4 1 

.From 0 

13 

0 

it 

1 

1 11* 





1 

10 4 





2 

8 9 





0 

9 9 

Round of beef, per lb. . 

• 

• 

• • 

0 

2 11 

Salt beef and pork, ditto 

. 


• • 

0 

1 3 




0 

4 1 





0 

3 3 





0 

4 1 

.From 0 

2 

6 

to 

0 

4 1 

per dozen. 




0 

4 10* 





0 

2 6 

Sold at an Auctiomffor . 

# 

# 

, , 

0 

17 1 

.From 0 

2 

6 

to 

0 

4 10* 

} . . . . From 1 

8 

0 

99 

2 

5 6 





0 

5 9 

. . . . . From 0 

1 

3 

99 

0 

2 1 





0 

2 6 

Malaga wine, per bottle 

• 


• • 

0 

4 10* 




0 

2 6 


! 


These articles were generally 
sold, according to their size and 
quality, at most exorbitant rates. 


This estimate afterwards underwent some small alteration by the Committee, the wines being 
fixed, they thought, at too low a price. Beside the articles mentioned under the head of tho 
Blockade price, the following sold in the course of the siege for the sums annexed to them :— 

£. s. d. 


A calf s head and feet 1 14 li 

A calf’s pluck . . . . . . .. • • 0 14/i 

Blind quarter, with the head and tail of an Algerine sheep . 7 L) 0 

Head and feet of a sheep . . . . . . « 0 14 71 

A bullock’s head, without tongue ...... 1 3 4* 































172 


APPENDIX. 


A bullock’s heart 
A goat's head 
Onions, per lb. 

A cabbage 

A bunch of cabbage-leav 
A bunch of carrots and turnips 
A small bunch of radishes 
A pint of milk and water . 

A lemon .... 

A quill .... 

A live pig sold for 

A large sow in pig sold for upwards of 29 
been purchased in England for 15s., sold 
months old, for near 12/. An English milcli-covv was sold 
to the seller a pint of milk each day whilst she gave milk ; 


A goat, with 
in the garrison 


£. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

9 


9 

8 

2 

1 

0 

1 

0 

1 

0 

0 

14 


d. 

9 

1 i 
6 
7 i 
5 
0± 
5 
3 
5 

G± 

9 


a young kid, both of which had 
when the latter was about twelve 
in 1780, for 50 guineas; reserving 
nd another cow was purchased by 


a Jew for 60 guineas, but the beast was in so feeble a condition, that she dropped down dead 
before she h id lieen removed many hundred yards. If these facts were not thought sufficient 
to demonstrate the exorbitant prices of every article in the garrison, others could be adduced 
of equally as surprising a complexion. 


The folioicing are the proportions of the Prize-Money, as distributed to the Gar¬ 
rison of Gibraltar, from the sums arising from the Head-Money granted 
by Parliament for destroying the Battering-Ships, and the sale of the St. 
Michael man-of-war. 

The subsequent sums are proportions of 30,000/., which wa9 the sum first divided. 


The governor, 1-16th 
Lieutenant-governor 
Major-general 
Brigadier-general . 
Colonel 

Lieutenant-colonel 
Major . 


£. s. d. 
. 1875 0 0 
. 93? 10 0 
. 468 15 0 
. 267 10 0 
. 156 1 0 
.. 80 16 0 
. 57 15 6 


Captain . . . . 

Lieutenant . 

Second lieutenant and ensign 
Serjeant . . . . 

Corporal. 

1'rivate . . 


£. s. d. 
43 10 1 
25 5 6 
22 0 6 * 
3 6 9 
2 0 lli 
1 9 1 


A second Act of Parliament afterwards passed, for granting to the garrison whatever might be 
fished up from the wrecks of the battering-ships ; and those employed in this duty proceeded 
with such success, that brass and iron cannon, with other articles, were recovered to a con¬ 
siderable value. 

Two divisions, of 16,000/. and 8000/., have since been distributed ; the latter of which, it 
imagined, will be the last. 


THE END. 


London :—Printed by W. Ci.owes and Sons, Stamford Street. 



















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By the Author of “ Gideon, the Man of Mighty Valour.” Fcap 8vo, 45. 6 d. 


poetry- 

lord BYRON’S POETICAL WORKS. 

With Portrait and Plates. 10 vols. 18mo, 25. 6d. each. 


LORD BYRON’S POETICAL WORKS. 

With Portrait and View of Newstead Abbey. Complete in one volume. 
New and cheaper Edition. Royal 8vo, 155. 


LORD 


1. Giaour. 

2. Bride of Abydos. 

3. Corsair. 

4. Lara. 

5. Siege of Corinth. 


hi. 

BYRON’S TALES. 

(pocket edition.) 

6. Beppo. 

7. Mazeppa. 

8. Island. 

9. Parisina. 

10. Prisoner of Chillcn. 


2 vols. 24mo, 5s. ; or separately, 6 d. each. 


LORD 


1. Manfred. 

2. Marino Faliero. 

3. Heaven and Earth. 

4. Sardanapalus. 


BYRON’S DRAMAS. 

(POCKET EDITION.) 

5. Two Foscari. 

6. Deformed Transformed. 

7. Cain. 

8. Werner. 


2 vols. 24mo, Is. ; or separately at 6d. and 15. each. 


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(POCKET EDITION.) 

With Engraved Title-page. 24mo, 2s. 6d. 












OF POPULAR WORKS, 


VI. 


THE POETICAL WORKS OF CRABBE. 

Containing The Library, The Borough, Parish Register, Tales ok the Hall, 
The Village, Posthumous Tales, 

With his Letters and Journals. By his Son. Plates. 8 vols. fcap 8vo, 40s. 


VII. 


BEAUTIES OF THE BRITISH POETS; 

With Biographical and Critical Notices, and an Essay on English Poetry. 

By Thomas Campbell, Esq. 

Third and Cheaper Edition. Portrait and Vignette. Royal 8vo, 15s. 


VIII. 

PALESTINE, EUROPE, THE RED SEA, 

AND OTHER POEMS. 

By the late Bishop Heber. Second Edition. Portrait. Fcap 8vo, Is. Gd. 

IX. 

FALL OF JERUSALEM, BELSHAZZAR, MARTYR OF 
ANTIOCH, SAMOR, ANN BOLEYN, 

AND OTHER POEMS. 

By Rev. H. H. Milman. Second Edition. With Notes and Illustrations. 

3 vols. fcap 8vo, 18s. 


POPULAR TRAVELS. 


THE BIBLE IN SPAIN; 

Or, the Journeys, Adventures, and Imprisonments of an Englishman in an 
Attempt to Circulate the Scriptures in the Peninsula. 

By George Borrow, Esq., late Agent to the British and Foreign Bible Society. 
Fifteenth Thousand. Post 8vo, 6s. 

ii. 

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Written during a Journey in North America. 

By John Robert Godley, Esq. 2 vols. post 8vo. 

hi. 

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CANADA. 

By Sir George Head. Second Edition. Post 8vo, 10$. 

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THE ANDES. 

By Sir Francis B. Head, Bart. Third Edition. Post 8vo, 9.*. 6d. 


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Or, First Impressions of Manners and Society in India, during a 
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By a Lady. Post 8vo, 9s. 6d. 







8 MR. MURRAY’S LIST 


VI. 

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In the Mozambique Channel. 

By Rev. Pascoe Grenfell Hill, Chaplain of H.M.S. Cleopatra. With a Map. 

Fcap 8vo, 3 s.6d. 

VII. 

MODERN EGYPT AND THEBES: 

Being a Description of Egypt; including the information required for Travellers in 

that Country. 

By Sir Gardner Wilkinson. Woodcuts and Map. 2 vols. 8vo, 4 2s. 

VIII, 

VISIT TO THE IONIAN ISLANDS, ATHENS, AND 
THE MOREA. 

By Edward Giffard, Esq. With Views. Post 8vo, 12 s. 

IX. 

A BACKWOODSMAN’S ACCOUNT OF UPPER CANADA; 

For the Use of Emigrants. Third Edition. Fcap 8vo, Is. 6rf. 
x. 

A JOURNEY THROUGH ARABIA PETRiEA, MOUNT 
SINAI, to the EXCAVATED CITY OF PETRA, 

THE EDOM OF THE PROPHECIES. 

By M. Leon de Laborde. Second Edition. Plates. 8vo, 18#. 

XI. 

TRAVELS IN NEW ZEALAND : 

With Contributions to the Geography, Geology, Botany, and Natural History of the 

Islands. 

By Ernest Dieffenbach, M.D., Naturalist to the New Zealand Company. 
With Plates. 2 vols. 8vo, 24#. 

XII. 

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With an Account of the Cod Fishery—Fog Banks—Sealing Expeditions, &c. 

By J. B. Jukes, Esq., Geological Surveyor of Newfoundland. 

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Described from the Accounts of Recent Dutch Travellers. Post 8vo, 9s. 6d. 

XIV. 

JOURNAL OF AN AFFGHAN PRISONER, 

With a Narrative of the Military Operations at Cabul, which ended in the Retreat 
and Destruction of the British Army, January, 1842. 

By Lieut. Vincent Eyre, Bengal Artillery. 

Seventh Thousand. With a Plan of the Cantonments. Post 8vo, 12#. 

xv. 

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By Lady Sale. Eighth Thousand. With Plan. Post 8vo, 12#. 




OF POPULAR WORKS. 9 


XVI. 

VOYAGE TO NEW SOUTH WALES 

In an Emigrant Ship, with a Residence in Sydney and the Bcsh, and the 
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XVII. 

BUBBLES FROM THE BRUNNEN OF NASSAU. 

By Sir Francis B. Head, Bart. Sixth Edition. 16mo, 5s. 

XVIII. 

A HOME TOUR THROUGH ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND 

IRELAND, 

The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. 

By Sir George Head. Third Edition. 2 vols. post 8vo, 12s. 

XIX* 

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With Notes upon Ceylon, &c. 

By the late Bishop Heber. Fifth Edition. 2 vols. post 8vo, 12s. 


ART AND SCIENCE. 


HAND-BOOK OF NEEDLEWORK. 

Being a Complete Guide to every kind of Decorative Needlework, Crochet, Knitting, 
and Netting, with a brief Historical Account of each Art. 

By Miss Lambert. Third Edition. 115 Woodcuts. Post 8vo, 10s. Gd. 

ii. 

MY KNITTING-BOOK. 

Containing Examples selected with the greatest care, and arranged so as to render 
them easy to a novice in the Art. 

By Miss Lambert. Authoress of the “Hand-book of Needlework.” 

Third Edition. Woodcuts. lGmo, Is. 6d. 

in. 

CONNEXION OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 

By Mary Somerville. Sixth Edition. Fcap 8vo, 10s. 6d. 

IV. 

FACTS TO ASSIST THE MEMORY IN VARIOUS 

SCIENCES. 

New Edition. Fcap 8vo, 6s. 6d. 
v. 

CHEMICAL MANIPULATION; 

Being Instructions to Students in Chemistry, on the Methods of performing 
Experiments of Demonstration or Research, with accuracy and success. 

By Michael Faraday, F.R.S. Third Edition. 8vo, 18s. 








10 MR. MURRAY’S LIST 


AGRICULTURE. 

—♦— 

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By the Author of “ British Husbandry.” Imperial 4to, 10$. 

ii. 

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IRRIGATION. 

By the Author of “ British Husbandry.” Second Edition. 8ro, 2s. 

m. 

THE MUCK MANUAL, FOR THE USE OF FARMERS. 

A Practical Treatise on the Chemical Nature and Value of Animal and 

Vegetable Manures. 

By F. Falkner, Esq., and the Author of “ British Husbandry.” 

“ Muck is the Mother of Money.” 

Fcap 8vo, 6s. 6d. 


NATURAL PHILOSOPHY- 

—♦— 

i. 

ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MORAL FEELINGS. 

By John Abercrombie, M.D. Sixth Edition. Fcap 8vo. 5 s . 

n. 

ON THE INTELLECTUAL POWERS AND THE 
INVESTIGATION OF TRUTH, 

By John Abercrombie, M.D. Tenth Edition. Post 8vo, price 8$. 6 d . 


NATURAL HISTORY. 


NORTH AMERICAN GEOLOGY; 

With a Journal of a Tour in 1841-2. By Charles Lyell, Esq. 
With Illustrations. 8vo. 

ii. 

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Or, the Ancient Changes of the Earth and its Inhabitants. 
By Charles Lyell, F.G.S. 

Second Edition. With 400 Woodcuts, &c. 2 vols. 12mo, 18$. 











OF POPULAR WORKS. 11 


in. 

PRINCIPLES OF GEOLOGY; 

Or, the Modern Changes of the Earth and its Inhabitants. 
By Charles Lyell, F.G.S. 

Sixth Edition. With 250 Woodcuts, &c. 3 vols. 12mo, 24 s. 

IV. 

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With Recollections of Natural History and Local Scenery. 
By Edward Jesse, Esq. Woodcuts. Post 8vo, 12s. 

v. 

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With Anecdotes of the Sagacity and Instinct of Animals. 
By Edward Jesse, Esq. 

Fifth Edition. With Woodcuts. Fcap 8vo, 6s. 6 d. 

VI. 

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Fourth Edition, with Woodcuts. Post 8vo, 9s. 6d. 


SPORTING. 

—♦— 

i. 

THE CHASE—THE TURF—AND THE ROAD. 

By Nimrod. Second Edition, with Plates by Alken and Gilbert. Post 8vo, 9s. 6<i. 

ii. 

ART OF DEER-STALKING; 

Illustrated by a few Days’ Sport in the Forest of Atholl. 

By William Scrope, F.L.S. Plates by Edwin and Charles Landseer, R.A. 
Second Edition. Royal 8vo, 21. 2s. 

i u. 

DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING IN THE 

TWEED. 

With a short Account of the Natural History and Habits of the Salmon. 

By William Scrope, F.L.S. 

With Illustrations by Sir David Wilkie, Edwin and Charles Landseer, William 
Simson, and Edward Cooke, &c. 

Royal 8vo, 21. 2s. 

IV. 

MAXIMS AND HINTS ON ANGLING, CHESS, SHOOTING, 

AND OTHER MATTERS. 

By Richard Penn, F.R.S. Second Edition. With 24 Plates. Fcap 8vo, 5s. 








12 


MR. MURRAY’S LIST 


v. 

SALMONIA ; or, THE DAYS OF FLY-FISHING. 

By the late Sir Humphry Davy. Fourth Edition. Fcap 8vo, 12s. 

VI. 

THE MOOR AND THE LOCH; 

With Practical Hints on Highland Sports, and the Habits ok the Different 
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With Instructions in River, Burn, and Loch Fishing. 

By John Colquhoun, Esq. Second Edition. Plates. 8vo, 9s. 6d. 


RURAL AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY. 


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Together with the best mode of Managing the Dairy and Piggery, and useful 
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By the Author of “ British Husbandry.” Woodcuts. Fcap 8vo, 8s. 

ii. 

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With Practical Instructions and Directions for every Month in the Year ; and a 

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By Mrs. Loudon. Sixth Edition. Woodcuts. Fcap 8vo, 6s. 


hi. 

MODERN BOTANY FOR LADIES. 

A Popular Introduction to the Natural System and Classification of Plants. 
By Mrs. Loudon. With 150 Woodcuts. Fcap 8vo, 8s. 


IV. 

NEW SYSTEM OF DOMESTIC COOKERY, 

Suited to the present advanced state of the Art, but founded upon principles of 
economy and practical knowledge, and adapted to the use of Private Families. 

By Mrs. Rundell. 

The 67th Edition, improved by the addition of 9 00 new Receipts, and a Chapter on 
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*** Of this Work more than 310,000 copies have been sold. 


v. 

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A Collection of a Thousand valuable Receipts in various Branches 
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New Edition. Fcap 8vo, 5s. 6cf. 







OF POPULAR WORKS. 


13 


WORKS OF AMUSEMENT & INSTRUCTION, 

ADAPTED FOR YOUNG PERSONS. 


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MRS. MARKHAM’S HISTORY OF ENGLAND, 

From the First Invasion by the Romans, to the end of the Reign of 
William the Fourth. 

Tenth Edition, with Woodcuts. 2.VOIS. 12mo, 12*. 

ii. 

MRS. MARKHAM’S HISTORY OF FRANCE, 

Irom the Conquest of Gaul by Julius Cjesar, to the Reign of Louis -Philippe. 
Fifth Edition, with Woodcuts. 2vols. 12mo, 12*. 

iii. 

BERTHA’S JOURNAL 

DURING A VISIT TO HER UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 

Comprising a Variety of interesting and amusing Information. 

Fifth Edition . 12mo, 7 s. 6d. 

IV. 

PHILOSOPHY IN SPORT MADE SCIENCE IN EARNEST; 

Or Natural Philosophy explained by the aid of the ordinary Toys and 

Sports of Youth. 

Fifth Edition. With 100 Woodcuts. Fcap 8vo, 8*. 


v. 

THE JEWESS: 

A TALE, FROM THE SHORES OF THE BALTIC. 
By a Lady. Second Edition. With Portrait. Fcap 8vo, 4*. 6d. 


VI. 

PUSS IN BOOTS. 

Suited to the Tastes of Little and Grown Children. By Otto Speckter, the 
German Artist. With 12 Illustrations. Small 4to, 7*. 6d. 

VII. 

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FOR CHILDREN. 

Thirteenth Edition. 18mo, 3s. 

VIII. 

ELEMENTS OF GEOGRAPHY FOR CHILDREN. 

By the Author of “ Stories for Children.” 

Third Edition. 12mo, 2s. 






14 


MR. MURRAY’S LIST 


IX. 

GOSPEL STORIES; 

An Attempt to render the chief Events of the Life of Our Saviour intelligible 

to Young Children. 

Second Edition. 18mo, 3s. 6d. 

x. 

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By the late Lady Callcott. 

Sixth Edition. With Woodcuts, 18mo, 3s. 

XI. 

YEAR BOOK OF NATURAL HISTORY. 

Arranged for every Month. 

By Mrs. Loudon. With 40 Woodcuts. 18mo, 45. 

XII. 

HISTORY OF THE LATE WAR; 

With Sketches of Nelson, Wellington, and Napoleon. 

] 8mo, 25. 6d. 


XIII. 

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In English, French, Italian, and German. 
Arranged for the Daily Use of Young Persons. 

By a Lady. 16mo, 35. 6<i. 


SCHOOL BOOKS. 

—»— 

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By Henry Nelson Coleridge, M.A. Second Edition. Fcap 8vo, Is. 6d. 

ii. 

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Translated from the German of Henry Hase. Fcap 8vo, 5s. 6d. 









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MATTHIAS SHORTER GREEK GRAMMAR. 

Translated by Blomfield. 

Seventh Edition, revised, by Edwards. 12mo, 3#. 

GRAECiE GRAMMATICiE V RUDIMENTA IN USUM 
SCHOLARUM. 

Fifth Edition, including the Syntax. 12mo, 5s. 

VI. 

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Pars posterior, sive Syntaxis. 12mo, 2s. 
vn. 

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Editio altera ad disciplinam Etonensem accommodata. 12mo, Is. 6d. 

VIII. 

LATINS GRAMMATICS RUDIMENTA. 

12mo, 3s. 6d. 

This Grammar is intended to serve also as an English Latin Grammar and a 
Latin Exercise Book ; and being based on that enjoined by the Royal Founder of 
so many noted Grammar Schools in England, and many of his Successors, is called 
King Edward YIth’s Latin Grammar. 

It is printed in the same size as the Gr^cje Grammatical Rudimenta, to which 
references are made throughout the volume. 

x. 

ENGLISH NOTES FOR LATIN ELEGIACS; 

Designed for early proficients in the Art of Latin Versification, with Prefatory 
Rules of Composition in Elegiac Metre. By the Rev. W. Oxenham, M.A., Second 
Master of Harrow School. 12mo, 45. 

x. 

GRAMMAR OF THE GERMAN LANGUAGE, 

For Beginners as well as the more advanced Learner. By G. M. Heilner. 12mo, 105. 







16 MR. MURRAY’S LIST OF POPULAR WORKS. 


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THE IONIAN ISLANDS, GREECE, TURKEY, ASIA MINOR, 

and CONSTANTINOPLE. With Maps. Post8vo, 15$. 

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BEING A DESCRIPTION OF EGYPT, THEBES, & OTHER 

PLACES. With Directions for Travellers. By Sir Gardner Wilkinson. 
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THE PAPAL STATES, AND THE CITIES OF ETRURIA. 

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0 - 


No. VIII. 




Betn'catetr, is Remission, 


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Secretary of State for the Colonies; 


AND THE RIGHT HONOURABLE W. E. GLADSTONE, 

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JESSE'S SCENES AND TALES OF COUNTRY LIFE, 12s. 

LETTERS FROM THE SHORES OF THE BALTIC, 2s. 6d. 

FARMING FOR LADIES—THE POULTRY YARD, DAIRY, &c.,' 8s. 
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if 

No. IX. 

WESTERN BARBARY: 

ITS 

WILD TRIBES AND SAVAGE ANIMALS, 

Was Published on May 31s/. 


TO BE FOLLOWED BY 

STORY OF THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO. 
MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS OF ENGLAND; 

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